UK Boxing Day Sees £3.8 Billion Spending Surge! Self-Driving Taxi “Apollo Go” to Launch in the UK! Spring Budget Date Announced
- TBA
- Dec 29, 2025
- 5 min read
Renewed zeal for Boxing Day sales expected to ring up £3.8bn for retailers
Despite a growing number of consumers choosing to “stay home and shop online” in recent years, Boxing Day remains one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the UK.
The UK retail sector is expected to see a modest sales surge this Boxing Day. Data shows that UK consumers are projected to spend £3.8 billion on the day, up 2% year on year, with online retail contributing the bulk of the growth.
As many retailers began their discount campaigns from midnight on Christmas Eve, online sales on Christmas Day alone have already exceeded £1 billion. Analysis from research firm GlobalData indicates that around 23 million UK consumers are expected to shop online, an increase of about 500,000 compared with last year.
With Black Friday sales underperforming this year, Boxing Day is once again emerging as a key promotional moment. It is traditionally a time for consumers to treat themselves after Christmas, and amid rising living costs and tighter budgets, discounts have become an important tool for extending purchasing power.
According to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), sales on physical high streets and in shopping centres are expected to rise by 1.5% year on year this Boxing Day, while online sales are forecast to grow by 3.4%. Analysts believe the renewed momentum in online shopping is being driven mainly by busy middle-aged consumers rather than traditional fashion-focused shoppers. As the stay-at-home consumption boom during the pandemic is now five years in the past, many household items are beginning to wear out, making furniture and electronics likely beneficiaries of post-holiday promotions.
Against the backdrop of a rebound in Boxing Day promotions—expected to drive retail sales to £3.8 billion—the vitality and consumer potential of the UK e-commerce market have once again been confirmed. Continued growth in online shopping, along with consumers’ high acceptance of both pricing and brands, makes the UK an important gateway for Chinese sellers and cross-border brands expanding into Europe.
Uber and Lyft announce plans to trial Chinese robotaxis in UK in 2026
Ride-hailing platforms Uber and Lyft have announced that they are seeking approval from UK regulators and plan to begin pilot operations of Chinese autonomous taxis in London as early as 2026. Both companies have reached partnerships with Chinese technology firm Baidu, aiming to introduce its self-driving taxi technology to the UK market.
Baidu’s autonomous mobility service Apollo Go is already operating in dozens of cities and has completed millions of passenger rides without a safety driver on board.
It is understood that the UK is accelerating the development of a regulatory framework to allow commercial services such as “small autonomous buses and taxis” to launch pilot programs in 2026.
Lyft announced as early as August that, as part of a European cooperation agreement with Baidu, it plans to deploy driverless taxis in the UK and Germany. The company already operates autonomous ride-hailing services in Atlanta in the United States, while Uber offers robotaxi services there through its partnership with Google-owned Waymo.
If approved, passengers in London would become among the first in the region to experience Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles. Lyft revealed that dozens of autonomous taxis will be deployed in the initial testing phase, with plans to scale up to several hundred vehicles later.
Although autonomous vehicles are often seen as a key component of future transportation and are believed to make fewer mistakes than human drivers, public confidence in the safety of driverless taxis remains cautious.
A YouGov poll conducted in October showed that nearly 60% of UK respondents said they would not be willing to ride in a driverless taxi under any circumstances. In addition, 85% said they would prefer a taxi with a human driver if prices and convenience were the same.
Beyond the UK, cities in European countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Luxembourg are also planning to join robotaxi pilot programs. Several Chinese technology companies are supplying autonomous vehicle technologies to the European market, with related tests already underway or set to begin soon.
Rachel Reeves's spring budget date is revealed
The Treasury has announced that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will deliver the Spring Budget forecast on March 3, 2026.
Typically, the UK introduces major fiscal policy changes only once a year, in the Autumn Budget. As such, the Spring Budget is not intended to assess the government’s performance against its fiscal rules, but rather to provide an interim update on the economy and public finances. However, in the 2025 Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced a series of welfare cuts, increased funding for construction training and defence, and stepped up efforts to crack down on tax avoidance.
Against the backdrop of continued pressure on the UK’s economic outlook and widespread controversy surrounding the November Budget, this Spring Budget forecast is expected to attract significant attention.
In the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor decided to extend the freeze on income tax thresholds, a move criticised by opposition parties as a breach of Labour’s election pledge not to raise taxes on working people. At the same time, Reeves was accused of failing to fully disclose the true state of the public finances ahead of the Budget.
She had previously warned on multiple occasions that forecasts for UK productivity could be downgraded. However, information released on Budget day showed that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had informed the Treasury as early as mid-September that the public finances were in fact in better shape than widely expected. Reeves denied misleading the public, stressing that fiscal headroom is nevertheless “more limited than in the past.”
Meanwhile, the risk of a UK recession is rising. Experts warn that the latest quarterly GDP figures suggest the economy nearly stalled in the second half of the year.
Growth in the third quarter came in at just 0.1%, down from 0.2% in the second quarter (itself revised down from 0.3%) and well below the 0.7% recorded in the first quarter. Growth was driven mainly by modest expansions of 0.2% in both services and construction, while the production sector contracted by 0.3%, weighing on overall economic performance.
Investors generally believe the November Autumn Budget did little to stimulate economic growth. The OBR has also forecast that the policy measures announced in the Budget would have “zero impact” on growth.
Lindsay James, investment strategist at wealth management firm Quilter, said Labour can only hope that previously introduced policies gradually take effect, or that easing geopolitical tensions help revive global trade. However, she acknowledged: “At present, neither of these scenarios looks particularly promising. As a result, the UK economy is likely to remain sluggish in the first half of next year, or even deteriorate further, with the shadow of recession drawing ever closer.”
Why TB Accountants?
Professional Assurance: Our team includes ACA members and ACCA-certified professionals, delivering services to the highest industry standards.
Responsive Service: We respond to your inquiries within 24 hours, ensuring efficient communication across time zones.
Multilingual Support: Services available in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, and more.
Trusted by Clients Worldwide: Consistently praised by global clients for proactive, professional, and reliable accounting and tax support.
For individuals and businesses looking for UK taxation services, use our contact form to get in touch for more information.
Get in touch with us at info@tbagroup.uk or for a free one-to-one consultation.
