Boxing Day sales draw in huge crowds

Fears of an economic slowdown meant that shops across the UK reported fewer customers than expected earlier this week. Increasing internet sales and a dent in confidence has affected retailers.

However, as high street shops reduced their prices, Boxing Day attracted huge crowds with queues forming outside many shopping centres throughout the UK. Some retailers reported one of the most successful starts ever to the sales.

Selfridges in Oxford Street saw 9,000 customers through the doors in the first hour of trading. The Lakeside shopping centre in Essex said hundreds of cars were waiting for the centre to open at 7am.

Richard Dodd of the British Retail Consortium said yesterday was much busier than Boxing Day 2006 as more retailers started their post-Christmas sales early. Mr Dodd added that retailers are going to have to offer great sales to attract customers because finances are under strain this year.

A spokesman for the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds said it had experienced its best Boxing Day ever.

However, 3.6 million shoppers abandoned the high street to look for bargains online according to the Interactive Media in Retail Group (MRG).

Story link: Boxing Day sales draw in huge crowds