Two-fifths (41 per cent) of Londoners think it’s rude to shop on Christmas Day while six in 10 (59 per cent) think it’s perfectly fine. Despite the controversy, research from TopCashback.co.uk, the UK’s most generous cashback shopping site, reveals nearly a third (31 per cent) of Londoners will be shopping on Christmas Day. However, more than half (56 per cent) will be browsing in secret to avoid family disagreements.

Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of shoppers in London will be getting up early on Christmas morning to browse the sales before opening presents. Eight per cent will slip off during the lull between present opening and dinner, seven per cent will shop after dinner and nearly a fifth (16 per cent) will search for deals in the evening instead of spending time with their family. Just four per cent of consumers will wait until everyone has gone to bed to shop.

TopCashback.co.uk data from 2017 shows shoppers on Christmas Day choose to log on at 8am. Browsing peaked between 9pm and 10pm once the dinner food coma had set in and the Christmas special of Call the Midwife had finished. To aid sneakiness, the majority of consumers were shopping from their mobile phones while looking for fashion and beauty offers with M&S, Debenhams and Boots.

Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of unlucky Londoners will also be at work over the Christmas break but the majority (82 per cent) plan to sneakily shop in the sales so they don’t miss out.
Shopping habits in the winter sales

The winter sales as a whole are hugely popular with eight in 10 (83 per cent) consumers in London planning to shop at some point. Consumers will typically splurge £400 each. However, six in 10 (61 per cent) admit to going over-budget in the past so this may be higher.

Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) of consumers in London will be pushing leftovers aside to shop in the Boxing Day sales. But, only two per cent will be solely shopping on the high street. Almost half (46 per cent) of consumers plan to shop just online while 52 per cent will check out the discounts offered in store before retreating home to browse online from the sofa.

Around three-quarters (74 per cent) of consumers have been putting off buying certain items for months in order to snap them up at a reduced price. Shoppers will be looking for deals on clothes (81 per cent), electricals (45 per cent), shoes (41 per cent), beauty and make up items (34 per cent) and new technology (34 per cent).

To get a head start on next year, Londoners also plan on bulk-buying birthday presents (48 per cent), toiletries (28 per cent), stocking fillers (19 per cent), Christmas decorations (18 per cent), wrapping paper (16 per cent) and next year’s Christmas presents (15 per cent). A savvy 14 per cent will even be buying non-perishable foods to stash away for 2019.

Keen to get an even bigger bargain, the majority (93 per cent) of shoppers will also be looking for additional savings on top of those offered by retailers. People will be looking for cashback offers (54 per cent) voucher codes (24 per cent), and nine per cent will be using student discount or the equivalent.