Research has revealed that discounts on Black Friday are not the lowest

• Research has shown that 83% of products did not have the lowest price on Black Friday.
• Britons plan to spend £9.52 billion during the upcoming UK Black Friday sales.
• 77% of small businesses opted out of participating in Black Friday.

Research conducted by the consumer organization Which? revealed that none of the products sold on Black Friday 2024 were at their lowest price compared to the previous year. Analysts compared prices on 175 products at eight major retailers, including Amazon, John Lewis, and others, from March 2024 to March 2025, including last year’s Black Friday.

It was found that 83% of products advertised as having discounts on Black Friday had the same price or were cheaper at other times of the year. For example, the Samsung Jet Bot Robot Vacuum Cleaner cost £350 on Black Friday, although its price was £299 for 29 days in March and June 2024.

Britons plan to spend £9.52 billion during the four-day UK Black Friday period, which is 4.2% more than last year. More than half of spending is expected to be online. It is predicted that the largest sales will occur on Cyber Monday, December 1, when spending is expected to reach £3.38 billion.

Despite significant discounts, small businesses reported a decline in sales, which they attribute to the dominance of large retailers. The British Association of Independent Retailers stated that 77% of small businesses opted out of participating in Black Friday, promoting alternatives such as "Small Business Saturday" or "Shop Local Day," which draw attention to purchases in independent stores.

Retailers like John Lewis and Very claim their promotions are unique, but research by Which? shows that consumers should be cautious and not underestimate the importance of price transparency.

Tags: Europe/Economy/Research