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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Heather Stewart and Sarah Butler

UK refrains from hitting high street on Black Friday as fears grow over economy

Shoppers walk past a store with a Black Friday sign in the window
Visitors to all UK shopping destinations were down 2% on Friday and 7.2% compared with the equivalent days last year, MRI Software says. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

Shoppers held back from visiting high streets over Black Friday, data shows, amid fears weak consumer spending will put the brakes on economic growth in 2026.

Visitors to all UK shopping destinations were down 2% on Friday and 7.2% compared with the equivalent days last year, according to the monitoring company MRI Software, with locations near central London offices among the few to experience a lift in visits.

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