What is the Future for Black Friday in the UK?

As the working week draws to a close, UK consumers are once again being bombarded with television adverts, billboards and inbox-filling email campaigns from high street and online retailers alike. The reason? Black Friday — the cut‑price US shopping event that first arrived in the UK in 2010, led by Amazon.

Yet despite the noise, nearly half of UK shoppers (48%) are forecast to have no intention of taking part this year. For many retailers, that raises an uncomfortable question: is Black Friday still worth the investment?

Has Black Friday lost its appeal?

Unlike in the US, Black Friday has never quite reached the same cultural or commercial heights in the UK. In recent years, interest has noticeably waned, with many consumers now viewing the event as more of a marketing gimmick than a genuine opportunity to save.

As a result, a significant proportion of Black Friday marketing spend risks falling flat — particularly as shoppers become more sceptical about whether deals really are as good as they seem.

How retailers are trying to keep Black Friday alive

To combat declining engagement, retailers have adapted their approach. Rather than focusing on a single day, many now stretch promotions across “Black Friday weeks”, while others lean heavily on Cyber Monday to capture online-only demand.

While these tactics can help spread volume and ease operational pressure, they also dilute the sense of urgency that once made Black Friday so powerful.

Do retailers need Black Friday at all?

With interest continuing to soften, some retailers are choosing to step away from Black Friday entirely — and in many cases, that’s proving to be a smart move.

An increasingly popular alternative is to create a bespoke sales event that’s unique to your brand. The benefits are clear:

• Full control over timing and messaging

• Reduced competition from rival retailers

• Greater ability to target the right customers with relevant offers

A standout example is Amazon Prime Day. Held exclusively for Prime members each July, the event promotes deals positioned as even stronger than Black Friday. Its success speaks for itself, with 60% more products shipped on Prime Day 2016 than in 2015.

The rise of alternative shopping days

Black Friday also faces growing competition from a wave of newer retail events in the run-up to Christmas. These include:

• Small Business Saturday

• Sofa Sunday

• Manic Monday

With more choice than ever, savvy shoppers are increasingly spreading their spend across multiple events instead of focusing on just one. That fragmentation inevitably draws revenue away from Black Friday.

In fact, Manic Monday — typically held in early December — is already closing the gap. In 2015, shoppers spent over £700 million on the day, compared with £1.1 billion on Black Friday.

Traditional sales still win trust

For retailers uninterested in novelty sales events, the more traditional end-of-summer and Boxing Day sales continue to perform strongly. These are well‑established, trusted fixtures in the retail calendar — and customers know they’re likely to find genuine reductions on quality products.

Iconic retailers such as Selfridges and Harrods still attract overnight queues during these periods, and in many cases the discounts available can surpass those offered on Black Friday.

So, what’s next for Black Friday in the UK?

Ultimately, the growing number of alternative sales events is likely to limit Black Friday’s long-term growth in the UK. However, that doesn’t spell bad news for retailers.

With the right strategy, there are plenty of ways to drive demand without relying on Black Friday at all. One thing remains certain: UK consumers love a bargain — especially when it feels authentic.