Visa’s Holiday Shopping Snapshot: A 2.3% U.K. Boost
What’s the real headline?
Visa’s new Retail Spend Monitor says the U.K. spent a tidy 2.3% more on holiday goodies than last year—nominal dollars, no fancy math.
Feel the Vibe
- Online Rush: E‑commerce grew 6.1%, proving people still love to shop from the comfort of their sofa.
- Shopping Split: 41% of the spending went online, 59% still happened in brick‑and‑mortar stores. The in‑store charm is alive!
- Department Stores Rock: These giants saw a 6.9% bump thanks to the Black Friday golden rush.
- Early vs. Late: A late Black Friday spill‑over into December sparked a shopping spike, but by mid‑December buyers calmed down a bit.
- Clothing & Accessories: A 2% dip at the tail end of the season—maybe people were stuck in Zoom calls and out of ideas.
- Electronics: A modest 1.3% rise—tech lovers still hunting for the latest gadgets.
Why Should You Care?
Because whether you’re a retailer, a consumer, or just a curious cat, this digest tells you who’s buying, how, and most importantly, what’s trending.
Behind the Numbers
Visa’s Consulting & Analytics engine pulls data from the Visa network and mixes it with market surveys. The result? An insider look at how money flows during the biggest shopping spree of the year, across every payment type.
The Big Picture
- 1,500 specialists are crunching numbers across 75 countries.
- Last year, VCA delivered over 3,000 consulting projects that helped brands snag roughly $5 billion in extra sales.
Stay in the Loop
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