There are mixed messages from the UK retail sector in the post-Christmas sales on Boxing Day after physical stores reported broadly flat footfall but online sales rocketed.

British consumers had held off before Christmas as they waited for the sales to take hold. This delay was a concern for nervous retailers who have struggled in recent years as falling incomes hindered consumer confidence and spending.

Retail data specialist Springboard said there was just a net 1% increase in footfall on Boxing Day compared to a year before, as a 9% decline in the number of town centre shoppers was offset by a 10% rise in those at shopping malls and retail parks.

Research by IBM shows online retail sales in the UK jumped just over 40% on Boxing Day against a year before, with more and more consumers using mobile devices to shop on the internet. Mobile accounted for 58% of all retail web traffic, up from 42% in 2012.

IMRG, the trade body for online retailers, predicts UK consumers to spend £473m on Boxing Day internet shopping alone.

Written by Shane Croucher. Presented by Alfred Joyner