Black Friday was the busiest day of the year so far for retailers, figures suggest.

Spending data from Barclays shows transactions on November 28 reached a 2025-high, up 62% on the average as shoppers showed their determination to make the most of deals.

Consumers hitting the high street also led to food and drink transactions seeing a Black Friday boost of 28.9% versus the average day this year, Barclays said.

While 29% of consumers still consider the annual event to be the best time to bag a bargain, 44% say they do not look forward to the day as much as they used to, a survey for the bank found.

Some 68% are doubtful about the real value of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, and 65% believe such sales events encourage unnecessary spending.

Rohan Kumar, head of Barclays spending

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