Why Brits love shopping sales

A lot of research has been conducted showing that British people love sales more than almost anyone else. British shoppers take more time to research sales and are more likely to make the extra effort to make the most of every sale.

Why is this, though? Why are Brits, in particular, so partial to a good sale? Here are a few reasons.

Constant sales

No matter where one is or where they look, they will find a sale somewhere in a UK town or city. Whether it be a Whether it be a men’s t shirt sale, sports gear, or food, they can go into any village, town, or city and find dozens of great deals.

Compared to many other places, sales in the UK are often not only seasonal. This means they can find deals on clothing and produce no matter the time of year, which also means they do not have to buy a more expensive alternative.

Wide variety of sale items

As mentioned, not only are there constant sales but also sales on almost anything. They can step into a grocery store in London and pick up a three-course dinner for half the price or walk into a beachside town in Scotland and find a discounted paddleboard.

No matter what they are looking for, they will likely find it on sale. This even extends to more “niche” items, such as sewing machines, Pokemon cards, and other things that one would not find on sale regularly.

Cheap necessities

There are several grocery stores and chains that are constantly offering sales and discounts on necessities. Chains like Lidl, Aldi, and Iceland will almost always have groceries at discounted prices below those of the bigger chains like Asda and Tesco.

These cheaper chains also make a point of pricing their items or having sales that make their products cheaper than the more prominent brands, which entices more people to shop with them.

Cost-of-living crisis

Another reason why Brits love sales is because of the current cost-of-living crisis. Many people in the UK are not earning salaries that provide them with a lot of extra spending money. Therefore, every penny saved when doing grocery shopping, for example, is a penny that can go towards something bigger or more important.

Many people are now more cash-strapped than ever, and with prices going up due to inflation, Brexit, and other external factors, people who once lived relatively comfortable lives have now had to turn to sales and discounts.

Extra research

This point is not necessarily a “why” per se, but it does influence why Brits love shopping sales so much. Research has shown that Brits will spend, on average, over 40 minutes researching the best deal for an item before heading out and buying it. This indicates an ingrained culture of bargain-hunting.

Stores are easily accessible

Another reason bargain-hunting and shopping for sales are so popular in the UK is that almost every village, town, and city is made for walking, and the store layouts reflect this. This means they do not have to travel far to take advantage of all the available deals. While people still do a lot of online shopping, when they are within walking distance of multiple different types of stores, they are more likely to stop and look.

Online shopping

Many people in the UK have turned to online shopping over the years, with over 80% of the UK population using Amazon regularly. Because of this, it has become much easier to find sales on items that are difficult to find.

Secondary saving benefits

Another reason many UK residents are drawn to sales is because of the secondary benefits it provides. There is a robust holiday culture in the area, mainly driven by the poor weather and lack of “fun in the sun.” This has led to many people looking for ways to save as much money as possible, in order to spend their money on holidays.

Average savings

Finally, as mentioned before, there is a lot of financial pressure on many UK citizens. Some research has shown that over 60% of people couldn’t last three months without borrowing money, while over 30% of adults have either no savings or no more than £1,000 in their savings account.

When all of these factors are combined, there is a large group of people who not only constantly hunt out bargains but, in many cases, need them to ensure they can provide themselves and their families with what they need to be comfortable and survive.

The editorial unit