Buying guide · Updated ·
Boxing Day sales 2026 UK: start dates and the best deals to expect
Boxing Day 2026 falls on Saturday 26 December, and most UK retailers will start their post-Christmas sales online that morning or earlier. The bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December, which gives the sales a long first weekend.
Boxing Day is best for clothing, homeware and leftover Christmas stock. For tech, vacuums and kitchen gadgets, Black Friday prices are usually as low or lower. The deals below are already live (checked 29 and 30 October) and unlikely to be beaten in the Boxing Day sales.
Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum with Anti Hair Wrap Plus (IZ411UKT)
Under half its launch price already. Cordless vacuums tend to be cheapest around Black Friday rather than in the Boxing Day sales. More in our Shark Black Friday guide.
Oral-B iO2 Electric Toothbrush
A good gift price now. Electric toothbrushes go up and down all year, but £39 for an iO is near the bottom of the range.
JBL Tune 780NC Wireless Headphones
Noise-cancelling headphones for under £50. Buy now if they're a present: waiting for Boxing Day means missing Christmas.
Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser
A long-running bestseller at half price. An easy gift under £30 that's unlikely to be cheaper after Christmas.
Sage the Barista Express Bean-to-Cup Espresso Machine (BES875)
£130 off the classic grinder-included espresso machine. Coffee machines do appear in Boxing Day sales, but Black Friday prices are usually as good.
Boxing Day 2026: the key dates
- Christmas Eve: Thursday 24 December 2026
- Christmas Day: Friday 25 December 2026
- Boxing Day: Saturday 26 December 2026
- Boxing Day bank holiday (substitute day): Monday 28 December 2026
- January sales: usually run until mid-January
Because Boxing Day lands on a Saturday this year, the bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December. That gives shoppers a three-day weekend straight after Christmas, so expect retailers to push their sales hard from Saturday to Monday.
When do the Boxing Day sales start?
No UK retailer has announced its 2026 dates yet, and most don't until mid-December. Based on recent years, here's the usual pattern:
- Online sales start first. Many retailers switch their websites to sale prices late on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day, so you can shop from the sofa before the shops reopen.
- Shops open on Boxing Day. Most high street and department stores open on 26 December, some with early starts for the sale. In London, the big department stores usually start their sales on 26 or 27 December, running to mid-January.
- Next is the exception. Its sale is famous for early-morning queues and an early-access window for some account holders. It usually starts on Boxing Day, online and in store, with limited stock in the most popular sizes.
- Amazon doesn't run a big Boxing Day event, but prices across many categories drop over the Christmas week as other retailers' sales start.
Large shops in England, Wales and Scotland can't open on Christmas Day, but they can trade on Boxing Day. With 26 December on a Saturday this year, normal weekend opening hours apply in most places. We'll update this page as retailers confirm their plans.
What's cheapest in the Boxing Day sales?
Boxing Day and Black Friday suit different things:
- Best on Boxing Day: clothing and shoes, homeware and bedding, Christmas decorations and wrapping (often half price or more), gift sets that didn't sell, and winter coats and boots.
- Usually cheaper on Black Friday: TVs, laptops, headphones, vacuums, air fryers and other kitchen appliances, Amazon devices and most branded tech. Retailers often run the same or slightly higher prices in December.
- Don't wait for: anything you need as a present. If it's for Christmas, the Boxing Day price doesn't help.
So the smart plan is to buy tech and appliances in Black Friday week, using our brand guides on the Black Friday hub, and save clothing, homeware and next year's decorations for the Boxing Day sales. For presents, see our Christmas gift guides.
How to get the best Boxing Day deals
- Make a list before Christmas. Note the products you want and their current prices, so you know a real discount when you see one.
- Check the price history. Sites like PriceSpy show whether a 'sale' price is actually lower than it was in November.
- Shop online early. The best sizes and stock go fast, and many sales go live online before the shops open.
- Check the returns policy. Sale items sometimes have shorter return windows than full-price ones.
- Compare with Black Friday. If you bought something in November, check whether the price has dropped further. Some retailers will refund the difference within their price-promise window.
When is Boxing Day 2026?
Saturday 26 December 2026. Because it falls on a weekend, the bank holiday is moved to Monday 28 December.
Do Boxing Day sales start online on Christmas Day?
Many do. In recent years, a number of big UK retailers have started their sales online on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, before their shops reopen on Boxing Day. Check each retailer's website from Christmas Eve.
Are Boxing Day sales better than Black Friday?
It depends on what you're buying. Boxing Day is better for clothing, homeware and Christmas stock. Black Friday is usually better for tech, appliances and vacuums. See when is Black Friday 2026 UK for this year's dates.
Are shops open on Boxing Day 2026?
Most are. Large shops can't open on Christmas Day, but they can open on Boxing Day. As 26 December is a Saturday this year, most will open on their usual weekend hours, with some opening early for the sales.
When do the January sales end?
Most UK sales that start on Boxing Day run until mid-January, with extra price cuts as stock runs down.