British sales shoppers to spend €12.8bn

Britain is in the grip of sales fever today as bargain-hunters shop their way towards an estimated £9bn (€12.8 bm) spending total.

Britain is in the grip of sales fever today as bargain-hunters shop their way towards an estimated £9bn (€12.8 bn) spending total.

Three-quarters of Britons plan to hit the high street for the sales this year.

Many sales began yesterday and some retailers were celebrating a record St Stephen's Day turnover, but other stores, including the John Lewis chain, are beginning their sales today.

Next’s Oxford Street branch was set to open at 5am, ready for shoppers who just could not wait for their chance for a bargain.

And the queues for other shops began yesterday, with about 3,500 bargain-hunters camping out from 3.30am at the Trafford Centre, just outside Manchester city centre.

Probably the earliest shopper was a man who arrived at The Sony Centre in Leeds on Christmas Eve to be first in the queue when the doors opened at 9am yesterday.

He had his eye on a Sony camcorder, reduced from £499 (€712) to £99 (€141).

Store manager David Smith said: “He just arrived on Christmas Eve and sat in his car outside until the morning.”