Three quarters of consumers say they are excited to shop in physical retailers as they return to the shops this Welcome Back Weekend, according to research from Visa.
Three in ten (30%) Brits plan to head to the high street for non-essential shopping this week, with one in five (20%) consumers planning to spend more money on non-essential items.
This follows previous research from Visa that showed over half (54%) had cut back non-essential spending last year.
The research also reveals how the lines between online and offline shopping are increasingly blurred leading to a post-lockdown “hybrid-shopping” phenomenon.
Half of Brits (51%) now prefer to shop with a balance of online and offline, with two in five (43%) shoppers admitting to researching a product online before buying in store.
Three in ten (27%) shoppers now say they check online for a better price while in store, and over a fifth (22%) check the reviews for an item while shopping in store.
Jeni Mundy, Managing Director, UK & Ireland at Visa, said: “It’s clear that the great British high street still holds its lure for consumers with many excited to head back into stores for Welcome Back Weekend. Even as people have become more used to shopping online over the last year, it’s great that consumers are embracing shopping with a mix of both ‘bricks and clicks' for the best experience, as the lines between offline and online continue to blur."
