LONDON - Britain’s retailers are hoping Black Friday discount day will get shoppers spending, though it takes place against a backdrop of a worsening cost-of-living crisis and the distraction of the soccer World Cup.

Britons will spend 8.7 billion pounds (S$14.5 billion) over the Black Friday weekend (Nov 25 to Nov 28), according to research by GlobalData for VoucherCodes - a rise of 0.8 per cent year-on-year which masks a big drop in volumes once inflation is accounted for.

Consumers have been cutting back on their spending as soaring inflation - which hit a 41-year high of 11.1 per cent in October - eats into disposable incomes. And they have begun their Christmas shopping early this year to help budget their finances.

This year, consumers will use Black Friday, which has become more of an online event, much more for jumping on spontaneous deals and for Christmas gifts, rather than for bigger, delayed purchases, according to consultants McKinsey.

Its research shows a quarter of UK consumers have already done their Christmas shopping, while about one in 10 is planning to do most of it during Black Friday.

Some consumers may, however, have other priorities, with both Wales and England in action on Friday at the World Cup.

Retailers across Europe fear the overall Christmas trading season could be the worst in at least a decade as shoppers cut back, while the costs of doing business show no sign of abating, squeezing profit margins.

But many consumers still look set to shop Black Friday. Idealo, the European price comparison portal, said 65 per cent of online Italian shoppers are ready to buy a product during the event.

In France, 70 per cent plan to shop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to research by PwC France.

However, the Spanish are less keen, with just 24 per cent of shoppers planning to take advantage of Black Friday deals to get a head start on their Christma...