Boxing Day sales have seen a sharp decline this year as Brexit fears and the popularity of online shopping take their toll.

New figures from Springboard have found that footfall across the UK was down by 7.3 per cent on Boxing Day, historically a key date for retailers.

Shopping centres faired the worst posting nearly a 20 per cent drop in footfall, whereas high streets and retail parks dropped by 2.2 per cent and 4.2 per cent respectively compared to 2015.

Predictions from Springboard for the coming week are similarly limp as a 2.3 per cent drop in footfall from 2015 is expected.

Offsetting the sharp decline in physical shoppers is a 6.2 per cent rise in online transactions from 2015, mirrored in the results leading up to Christmas and durng Black Friday weekend.

Springboard‘s insights director Diane Wehrle commented: “Across 2016, shopping centres have been consistently experiencing the worst footfall and we expect to see this continue this week.

“Their reduced appeal is a result of the fact that most centres have a more limited hospitality offering than the high street equivalent which have been recording more favourable footfall in recent months.

READ MORE: Black Friday sales change dramatically from last year

“We expect that most consumers who venture out this week will be doing so for leisure as opposed to shopping, thus giving the high street the edge as it able to service the consumer demand for bars, restaurants and coffee shops.”

“There is a note of caution around spending at the moment … as we get towards the period when we are going to invoke article 50 that will start to impact confidence,

2016’s Christmas period has been disappointing for retailers, coming under predictions across the board for the numerous key dates which often dictate the success of quarter four.

Christmas Eve was expected to yield a last minute shopping frenzy, but instead saw a 5.9 per cent drop in footfall. Black Friday also saw numbers and sales come under predictions.

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