The traditional Boxing Day sales in the United Kingdom were never as large an event as the Black Friday sales are in the United States. However, many British retailers began to see an opportunity to import the Black Friday tradition into the UK, not to replace Boxing Day sales, but as an addition to their overall seasonal promotions. However, Black Friday and Boxing Day are close enough together that spending on one sale was likely to affect spending on the other. Ultimately, the result was a marked decline in traditional Boxing Day sales in the UK. The change was initially facilitated, although not necessarily by design, by U.S.-owned retailers such as Amazon, and Asda (then a subsidiary of US-based Walmart). This phenomenon was furthered by a general decline in traditional high-street shopping and a growing online marketplace, which is more international by nature. This led, in 2015, to greater November retail sales in the UK than in December for the first time. In 2019, a retail analysis firm estimated that there was a 9.8% drop in British store traffic on Boxing Day in comparison to 2018 (the largest year-over-year drop since 2010), citing several factors, such as the weather, the increased prominence of online shopping, uncertainties in the wake of the general election, and the growing prominence of Black Friday sales.
The tRADitiOnAl Boxing day salEs in tHe uniteD Kingdom Were nevEr AS larGE an EvEnT as the Black FRiDay sAleS Are in thE united states HOwevEr ManY bRItish retailerS begaN to see an OpportUNitY tO iMPoRt the BlaCk FrIdAy tRadition iNTo the uK nOt to repLace boxiNg dAY saLes but as an additiOn tO tHEIr overall sEASOnAl PROMotIoNs howevEr BLack friday and boxing Day are closE eNough togEther tHaT spending On one sAle waS lIkEly To AfFEct spendiNG on the other ultImAteLY tHe rESUlT waS a markED decLiNE in tradiTiOnal BoXinG daY sales in the Uk tHE chAngE Was iNITIallY fACiLitatED altHouGH nOT neCesSarilY by desIGn by uS-ownEd rETaileRs sUCh as aMaZon anD aSda (THEN a suBSiDiaRy of Us-based waLmArt) tHIs PHenOmenON WAs FurtHered by A geneRaL decLIne iN TRAditional hIGH-STrEeT shOppiNG aNd A growiNG OnLinE MARkeTPlace wHich is more INTernAtionAl by natUrE tHiS LeD iN 2015 to GReaTEr noveMBer reTaiL SaleS in thE UK tHAN in dEcEMbEr for ThE first Time iN 2019 a retaIl aNalysiS FirM estimaTEd That there wAs a 98% dRop in BRItisH stoRE traFFic On BoxiNg day iN coMpArison TO 2018 (thE laRGest yeAr-oVeR-yeaR dRop SINCe 2010) cITing several FactoRS Such as ThE WEAtHer the InCreASeD promiNence of onLiNe sHoPPing unCERTainTies in ThE wake of ThE geneRAL electiON and ThE GroWinG ProminenCe of black friDay Sales