Brits are shopping like there’s no tomorrow! 🎉 Despite rising COVID-19 variant worries, Black Friday sales lit up UK retail, with Oxford Street crowds rivaling pre-pandemic hustle. Forget social distancing – it’s all about discount chasing this season! 💷
💰 Sales Spike, Masks Take a Backseat
Barclaycard reported a 21.4% jump in early-morning payments compared to 2020, while Nationwide customers smashed records with 1.3 million purchases by 9 a.m. 📊 'Tis the season for swiping cards, not swabbing noses – mask usage was minimal as shoppers embraced the 'new normal' of post-lockdown retail therapy.
🎄 Christmas Comeback on the Horizon?
Analysts say this spending spree could kickstart a strong holiday season. One Oxford Street store manager told us: 'It feels like 2019 again – but with better hand sanitizer stations.' 🎁 With Christmas around the corner, retailers are crossing their fingers for a December to remember.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
