Shopping centres across Canberra appeared to return to pre-pandemic capacity on Saturday as crowds came out to bag a Boxing Day bargain.
Traffic was backed up along Newcastle Street all the way to Canberra Avenue at Canberra Outlet Centre in Fyshwick, with some creative parking along nature strips from the capital's four-wheel drive owners.
Shoppers queued for more than an hour to get into some stores, with footwear seemingly one of the most sought-after items.
Face masks were scarce and social distancing seemed somewhat forgotten at the outlet centre, despite the presence of police.
Escape 2 store manager Peter Burns said they were on track for a descent day's sales, although slower than Boxing Days past.
Mr Burns said walking and hiking boots had proved popular, however, holiday gear was less in demand than in previous years.
The Australian Retailers Association was forecasting spending of up to $367 million in the ACT in the post-Christmas sales - up 5.6 per cent on last year.
Nationally, $19.5 billion was predicted to be spent during the post-Christmas sales - up 3.9 per cent.
CEO Paul Zahra said Boxing Day remained the biggest retail trading day of the year and it was fantastic to see people supporting local businesses.
"As expected, in-store traffic has been down this year due to COVID and the shift to online shopping - as more people discover the convenience of shopping from home," Mr Zahra said.
"In fact, November was the biggest month in Australia's online shopping history - up 55 per cent on the year, and that has built strong momentum heading into the sales post-Christmas."
Cousins Georgia Smith and Tamazin McGrath said the waits and crowds were worth it for the significant savings they'd made.
"Nothing for me, all for the baby," Ms Culican said. "I got her a whole new wardrobe and it came to under $100."
Ms Smith said the crowds didn't bother her but the same couldn't be said for her husband.
"I'm on a time limit. He would rather not be here so I'm trying to be as quick as possible."
Dimas Pudra, Bianca Bonggo and Jean Barria were checking out the outdoor stores too ahead of an upcoming camping trip.
Ms Bonggo was spending Christmas in Canberra since her trip home to Indonesia wasn't possible.
"It's sad. But I visited my friend's house and we had Christmas lunch and dinner," she said.
Canberra Centre general manager Gary Stewart said shoppers had eagerly embraced the post-Christmas sales in the city too.
"The lead-up to Christmas saw strong customer traffic, and feedback from our retailers suggests the Boxing Day sales period is proving to be just as popular," Mr Stewart said.
READ ALSO:
- Year in pictures: Some of the best July images from our photographers
- 'People have been supportive': A quarantine Christmas to spare other
-
Nine local NSW cases after Christmas Day tests
An ACT government spokesperson said while the Restricted Gatherings Direction didn't apply to most retail stores, businesses were encouraged to make their premises more COVID safe.
Businesses are advised to manage the flow of people, particularly at entries, exits and around registers, and encouraging groups to keep 1.5 metres apart.
Sales at most shopping centres will continue throughout the month of January.
