European retailers chase shoppers with Black Friday offers to boost sales

British retailers pinning their hopes on discounts to get shoppers who are squeezed by inflation and low wage rises

Retailers across Europe chased shoppers on “Black Friday” in a test of consumer confidence, particularly in Britain where the spending spree imported from the US has become most popular.

After suffering their biggest decline in sales volumes for four-and-a-half years in October, British retailers are pinning their hopes on discounts to get shoppers, who are being squeezed by inflation and low wage rises, spending again.

Meanwhile, Wednesday’s budget statement from finance minister Philip Hammond did little to address Britons’ falling living standards or purchasing power.

In the UK the annual promotional event, which has historically focused on electrical goods, has been mainly online