We’re fast approaching Black Friday, with UK consumers are expected to spend £9.5bn over the weekend, up 5.7% YoY. To help you through Cyber Week and the run up to Christmas, our friends at GFS are publishing their Peak Bulletin and Issue 1 is out today!
This year, GFS say, shoppers will be value hunters, not carefree spenders and while baskets may be bigger, margin pressure is tighter than ever. This means it will be tougher than ever to ensure that Peak 2025 is profitable.
GFS Peak Bulletin Highlights
- Nearly half of UK consumers (49%) say they plan to make Christmas gift purchases during Black Friday sales, while more than a quarter intend to complete all festive shopping before the weekend even starts.
- This shows a marked shift in shopping intent. Consumers are spreading their spend earlier, scanning for value, and expecting delivery options that keep up with their tight schedules.
- Operationally, networks are under strain: parcel traffic is expected to spike by more than 200% during Peak periods, yet many major carriers report only ~5% capacity growth.
- Consumer patience is wearing thin. A DHL eCommerce Insights study found that 73% of global shoppers will not buy again from a retailer if they don’t trust the delivery experience.
- Peak 2025 isn’t about volume; it’s about velocity.
- Those who can flex carriers, protect delivery promises and communicate clearly through the last mile will not only survive, but strengthen loyalty into 2026. Those who can’t will find that one late parcel can undo months of marketing spend.
- Peak 2025 is defined less by demand and more by the pressure to deliver flawlessly in a mature, high-expectation market.
You can read the full GFS Peak Bulletin 2025 Issue 1 on the GFS website, as well as take part in their ‘Peak 2025: Where’s Your Biggest Challenge?’ poll.
