Peak Trading

Retailers are battening down the hatches as 2026 kicks off, following a "lacklustre" and discount-driven festive season.

UK fashion retailers reported a mixed Christmas trading period, as performance hinged on brand strength, promotional strategy and, in some cases, the weather.

Drapers takes a look at Marks & Spencer's fashion bestsellers over the peak Christmas trading period and its plans for the year ahead.

Total like-for-like high street sales fell 1.4% in December, down from a 7.7% increase in December 2024, the BDO High Street Sales tracker shows.

Primark owner Associated British Foods plc (ABF) has reported sales for the 16 weeks to 3 January 2026 were below its expectations and has lowered its outlook for the year.

Tesco has reported a rise in sales for its clothing brand F&F during the six weeks to 3 January 2026.

Marks & Spencer’s clothing, home and beauty sales fell 2.5% year on year to £1.3bn in the 13 weeks to 27 December 2025, as the retailer worked through “the tail end of recovery” from last year’s cyber-attack.

The run-up to Christmas 2025 delivered a varied trading performance across UK independent fashion retailers, underlining widening disparities in local markets and conflicting consumer confidence.

Footfall on Black Friday (28 November) slipped 3% year on year, but UK high streets and fashion retailers reported stronger trading over the weekend as gifting-driven customers flocked to shop and tighter discounting strategies helped lift sales.

Black Friday footfall tumbled year on year as "consumer caution" remains prominent, according to new data.

Drapers monitors the latest Black Friday deals across the UK fashion retail market in 2025.

With Black Friday in full swing, fashion retailers share how their businesses are tackling the crucial shopping period this year.