Black Friday a losing game for UK retailers?

Please note: This item is from our archives and was published in 2015. It is provided for historical reference. The content may be out of date and links may no longer function.

The post-Thanksgiving discount shopping bonanza, Black Friday, is a relatively recent import to the UK, and it may not be around much longer. Supermarket chain Asda will not offer special discounts this year, and research shows that 28% of major retailers in both the UK and US believe it is “an unprofitable and unsustainable promotion”, according to CityAM. Retailers without an established omnichannel presence to cope with the one-day spike in demand risk denting their long-term sales. While UK online sales are expected to reach £1 billion ($1.5 billion) on November 27th, UK retailers could lose £130 million ($195 million) handling the returned items, according to The Telegraph.

Up Next

Asia-Pacific retirement wave sparks surge in global CFO appointments

By Steph Brown
March 18, 2026
A rise in retirements is helping to create more first-time finance chiefs in Asia-Pacific and contributing to a global seven-year high in new CFOs.
Advertisement

LATEST STORIES

5 types of imposter syndrome and strategies to manage self-doubt

Asia-Pacific retirement wave sparks surge in global CFO appointments

FRC guidance on recognising value of flexible governance reporting

Businesses foresee productivity gains as AI adoption accelerates

Accounting for carbon: Lessons from a port

Advertisement
Read the latest FM digital edition, exclusively for CIMA members and AICPA members who hold the CGMA designation.
Advertisement

Related Articles