Saturdays are back on top for shoppers: John Lewis reveals some stores are now as busy as they were in the 1990s on weekends, a much-needed boost for retail
- According to retailer John Lewis, there is a return to weekend shopping
- Some of the retail giant’s stores are as busy as they were in the pre-Internet heyday of the 1990s
- Shops on Saturdays now account for almost one-fifth of total weekly footfall
As a much-needed boost for the country’s retailers, cities are now busier on Saturdays than before the pandemic.
Department store chain John Lewis, a retail benchmark, says there is a return to the traditional pattern of families shopping on weekends, with some stores even as busy as they were in the pre-internet heyday of the 1990s.
City centers are still much emptier during the week than they were pre-Covid, as millions continue to work from home all or part of the time.
While this means fewer opportunities to shop at lunchtime or after work, more people are now heading to the weekend.
As a result, Saturday shoppers now account for almost one-fifth of total weekly footfall in high streets, shopping centers and retail parks – a higher figure than in 2019.
Saturdays are now busier in towns and cities than before the pandemic
Department store chain John Lewis, a retail benchmark, says there is a return to the traditional pattern of families shopping on weekends, with some stores as busy as they were in the 1990s, pre-internet heyday
A spokesman for John Lewis said: ‘We have seen a shift from weekdays to weekends, with Saturday attendance up 11 per cent compared to pre-Covid. With so many people working from home during the week, the weekend has become even more of an opportunity to go out, so it’s the perfect excuse to hit the shops to treat yourself at the end of the work week or to meet up with friends and family. family.’
Monday is now the quietest day of the week in offices and has been referred to as ‘the new Friday’ – the day that traditionally saw the fewest commuters.
Chris Wroe, head of data and analytics at Virgin Media O2 Business, said: ‘More people than ever are choosing to stay home on Mondays, with as many as two-fifths of us making the most of flexible working at the start of the year. the week in major office districts. Friday is also quiet. “But with traffic on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays close to pre-pandemic levels, the weekday rush at the office is back.”
