Shoppers shun UK high streets despite lure of Boxing Day sales

Shoppers on London’s Oxford Street during the Boxing Day sales. Photograph: Lucy North/PA

Fewer shoppers have headed to UK high streets in search of Boxing Day bargains, with central London suffering a significant decline in visitors as many decided to shun the traditional start of the sales.

Footfall at the country’s high streets and shopping centres fell on Friday morning, running slightly behind last year, according to figures from the monitoring company MRI Software. Across all UK retail destinations footfall slipped by 0.3%.