Brits to hit the shops in last-minute xmas rush
Published On 22 December 2006
Christmas Eve is expected to be a busy shopping day and will see last-minute shoppers heading out in their millions, new research has found.Sainsbury's Bank said nearly half of British adults – over 20 million people – were planning to do some Christmas shopping on Sunday. Of these, 454,000 anticipated doing all of their shopping at this time.
The total spending would top £1.14 billion, the bank estimated, noting that this was the equivalent to £47.5 million an hour and £791,667 a minute.
Sainsbury's also said around 18 per cent of shoppers would be using credit cards.
Midlanders take the crown for the least prepared – with 18.1 per cent intending to leave their shopping until Christmas Eve, followed by Londoners with 14.5 per cent.
Those in the south-east and east-Anglia are the most organised – only 8.9 per cent will be doing their shopping on Sunday.
"Our research suggests that it could be a busy time for the shops on Christmas Eve and that a lot of people will be using their credit cards," said the credit card manager of Sainsbury's Bank, Donald MacLeod.
And he recommended credit cards with a long interest free period as "a good way to spread the cost of Christmas".
According to a survey by Deloitte, Britons are set to spend almost £17 billion on gifts this Christmas.
