£1.31bn to be spent this Xmas Eve in last minute shopping

11.6 million people are expected to swap dashing through the snow for dashing through the shops as they head to the high street this Christmas Eve to purchase last-minute gifts.

In a blizzard of Christmas shopping madness, 14 million Brits are predicted to shop today in a dash to pick up their final few gifts and festive food, according to VoucherCodes.co.uk’s Shopping for Christmas: The build up to Christmas and Boxing Day report.

With less than 24 hours left until the big day, most shoppers are heading to shopping centres and high streets across the UK to ensure their festive gifts and essentials are with them in time for Christmas. However, 2.4 million people will spend online to avoid the Christmas chaos.

As a result, brick-and-mortar stores can look forward to a healthy day of sales with £1.08 billion spent today alone. Another £220 million is expected to come from online sales. In total, £1.31 billion is forecast to be spent this Christmas Eve - 17% more than in 2023 (£1.12 billion).

Michael Brandy, Senior Commercial Director at VoucherCodes.co.uk, said: "This Christmas consumers are leaving their shopping to the very last minute, panic buying their last few Christmas essentials on Christmas Eve. This is good news for retailers who can expect sales to be up 17% compared to last year.

"With shoppers needing their items here and now, almost all purchases will be made in-store. This is a great opportunity for retailers to showcase their top-quality customer service and encourage a few extra purchases before the end of the year."