Shopping savvy: How to get ahead of the rush

The 2025 UK Black Friday season is shaping up like no other, with major retailers launching deep discounts earlier than ever and items disappearing in hours. Retailers like Lookfantastic, for instance, began promotions weeks ahead, offering 20% off almost everything and pop-up flash offers on limited-edition beauty boxes that are already flagged as “selling out fast”.

One major shift this year: deals that used to go live on the Friday now start in mid-November or even earlier. Guides warn shoppers that holding off until the official 28 November date could mean missing out. Many of the best-value offers are already live, and high demand is draining stock faster than in previous years.

Despite the early onset of deals, buyer caution is rising. A report from the consumer body Which? found that none of the items they tracked during Black Friday 2024 were at their cheapest level in a 12-month stretch — meaning urgency is high but value may not always be guaranteed. Meanwhile, last-minute shoppers risk finding empty stock or smaller savings.

Here are four key trends shaping this year’s rush:

1. Early launches. Big-ticket items and branded appliances have started discounting already. For example, the supermarket-chain-led event offering heavy discounts on popular tubs of chocolates shows how retailers are stretching the sale period rather than concentrating it.

2. Limited stock, fast sell-outs. Promotions on beauty bundles, fashion items and popular tech are marked as “limited edition” or “while stocks last”, signalling that shoppers must act quickly to secure deals before they vanish.

3. Price-check caution advised. Although many items are discounted, shoppers are advised to check historic pricing. Studies show that many deals simply replicate prices seen earlier in the year or are only marginally better than usual.

4. Value still strong for the right buys. Data shows that for selected items — especially ones you’ve planned ahead to buy — Black Friday can offer the best savings compared to pre-Christmas or normal retail windows. So if you’ve been tracking something and the deal meets your target, it may be worth snapping it up.

For UK shoppers looking to make the most of the rush: decide early which items you genuinely want. Monitor usual prices in advance so you recognise a genuine deal. Add items to your basket ahead of time where possible, and check if you’ll need to act the moment the offer goes live.

In summary: this year’s Black Friday in the UK is both a marathon and a sprint. The best deals will still exist, but the window to grab them is narrower. The early starts and limited-edition offers mean that being prepared and ready to act will make the difference between scoring something great — or watching it sell out.

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