Retailers to brace themselves for busiest weekend of the year

Verdict warns retailers to brace themselves for

what is posed to be one of the busiest weekends of the year, with a 20 percent rise in the spend estimated in the UK alone.

Data released by the retail analysis firm highlight that, with Christmas Eve falling on a Tuesday this year, retailers should prepare themselves for an extremely busy weekend on 20-22 December.

Verdict Retail expects the weekend prior to Christmas to see a 20 percent rise in spending in the UK, compared to last year, with an estimated 12 billion pounds being poured in by last minute shoppers. Two billion pounds will be spent on non-food items online.

"People have been putting things off to see if they can get a bigger deal, but also you have the fact that the 23rd falls on a Monday. People know they can wait to the end of this week and still have three days to shop," said Andrew Stevens, Verdict's senior retail analyst.