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| Stores open for bargain hunters | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Retailers are starting what is expected to be one of the busiest days of the year, with sales set to draw millions of shoppers. | |
| Several sales began on Tuesday, but many shops are trading for the first time since Christmas Eve - some Next stores opened at 0500 GMT. | |
| Analysts say the next few days may be crucial as holiday business can make up half of some companies' annual profits. | |
| Pressure from supermarkets and internet stores has already led to discounting. | Pressure from supermarkets and internet stores has already led to discounting. |
| Nottingham's Victoria Centre and south Gloucestershire's Cribbs Causeway were among the shopping centres to open early to allow people to take advantage of clothing chain Next's sale at 0500 GMT. | Nottingham's Victoria Centre and south Gloucestershire's Cribbs Causeway were among the shopping centres to open early to allow people to take advantage of clothing chain Next's sale at 0500 GMT. |
| Manchester's Arndale Centre opened at 0300 GMT, with Next also starting its sale there at 0500 GMT and most other shops due to open at 0900 GMT. | Manchester's Arndale Centre opened at 0300 GMT, with Next also starting its sale there at 0500 GMT and most other shops due to open at 0900 GMT. |
| A spokesperson said it expects more than 200,000 people to pass through its doors, more than three times the number on Tuesday. | A spokesperson said it expects more than 200,000 people to pass through its doors, more than three times the number on Tuesday. |
| 'Intense' competition | 'Intense' competition |
| Major retailers have operated their Scottish branches for years on 26 December, but English and Welsh outlets stayed shut. | Major retailers have operated their Scottish branches for years on 26 December, but English and Welsh outlets stayed shut. |
| Since 2003, when three major regional shopping centres opened, more and more businesses have followed suit. | Since 2003, when three major regional shopping centres opened, more and more businesses have followed suit. |
| It's a tactic, a long with many others, that retailers are using to employ to drive customers through their doors Tim Sleep, Ernst & Young Poor maths 'fails' shoppers | It's a tactic, a long with many others, that retailers are using to employ to drive customers through their doors Tim Sleep, Ernst & Young Poor maths 'fails' shoppers |
| Thousands turned out on London's Oxford Street on Tuesday for the start of the Selfridges and Debenhams sales, but stores including John Lewis and Marks & Spencer were not due to launch their events until the following day. | Thousands turned out on London's Oxford Street on Tuesday for the start of the Selfridges and Debenhams sales, but stores including John Lewis and Marks & Spencer were not due to launch their events until the following day. |
| Meanwhile, Manchester's Trafford Centre, Bluewater in Kent and the MetroCentre in Gateshead were all open on Tuesday but were bracing themselves for even larger crowds. | Meanwhile, Manchester's Trafford Centre, Bluewater in Kent and the MetroCentre in Gateshead were all open on Tuesday but were bracing themselves for even larger crowds. |
| Shoppers are expected to spend more than £30bn over the festive season, slightly more than last year. | Shoppers are expected to spend more than £30bn over the festive season, slightly more than last year. |
| But there have been predictions of falling profits in some sectors. | But there have been predictions of falling profits in some sectors. |
| Tim Sleep, retail director at the consultants Ernst & Young, said there was "intense" competition among retailers. | Tim Sleep, retail director at the consultants Ernst & Young, said there was "intense" competition among retailers. |
| "Now, more and more you're seeing signs such as 'Winter Sale' or 'Seasonal Sales' instead of the post-Christmas or January sales," he said. | "Now, more and more you're seeing signs such as 'Winter Sale' or 'Seasonal Sales' instead of the post-Christmas or January sales," he said. |
| "The last two or three years we've seen more and more pre-Christmas discounting. | "The last two or three years we've seen more and more pre-Christmas discounting. |
| "But it's a tactic, a long with many others, that retailers are using to employ to drive customers through their doors." | "But it's a tactic, a long with many others, that retailers are using to employ to drive customers through their doors." |