LONDON, Dec 26 (Reuters) - UK shoppers sheltered at home on
Thursday, with the numbers hitting post-Christmas sales set to
drop significantly for a fourth year in a row, initial data
showed.
Footfall up to 12 p.m. on Dec. 26, known in Britain as
Boxing Day and a key date for retailers, was down 10.6% compared
with the same period a year ago, market research company
Springboard said, adding that bad weather had deterred shoppers.
High streets were most affected by the rainy weather with
consumers reluctant to go out in the morning, Springboard said.
Black Friday sales in November and a growing number of
people shopping online have reduced Boxing Day footfall in
recent years.
"Boxing Day is indisputably a less important trading day
than it once was," said Diane Wehrle, Insights Director at
Springboard, adding that the Boxing Day footfall was 10.9% lower
than during Black Friday morning.
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Bank PLC, has said
Britons were set to spend £3.7 billion ($4.8 billion) in the
post-Christmas sales -- £200 million less than last year --
partly due to environmental concerns, including about the impact
of so-called "fast fashion".
($1 = 0.7685 pounds)
(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)