Cost-of-living crisis casts shadow over Black Friday across Europe

Though spending in the UK is still expected by some researchers to increase by around 0.8 percent over the weekend, including on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this figure masks the impact of inflation on volumes, Streeter said. "Creeping prices mean that we may put fewer items into trollies and virtual baskets."

As of Friday noon, shopper numbers at UK retailers were more than 22 percent below 2019 pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, according to data provider Springboard.

"I would say, at the moment, the challenge facing retailers is probably even tougher than they faced during a pandemic" because consumer confidence and the cost-of-living crisis are so dominant in people's minds, Andrew Goodacre, chief executive officer at the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), told Xinhua.

"We've seen retail sales drop in October and September and that will put pressure on Black Friday being as successful as in previous years. The problem of weak consumer demand is a real threat to high streets up and down the country," Goodacre added.

Across Europe, the outlook is not rosy either. Inflation runs high. The energy crisis may last beyond winter. Recession is on the horizon. All these are weighing down consumers, dealing a huge blow to household budgets and casting a cloud over shopping events.