When is Black Friday 2024?

Black Friday used to be one of the biggest shopping days of the year. However, its popularity is becoming increasingly mixed, with some people justifiably cynical about whether the deals really are as good as they seem.

Many people still love the opportunity to shop for bargains, though, and Mintel estimates that total sales during Black Friday 2023 reached an estimated £13.3 billion, up 7.3% year-on-year.

The London-based market research firm also claims that while Black Friday remains an online-first retail event, in 2023, shopping in-store increased in popularity, with 44% of UK shoppers purchasing a Black Friday deal in-store.  

Given the continuing cost-of-living crisis, it’s likely that people will be keener than ever for low prices this year, but they may be more selective about what they buy.

Spend wisely – join Which? Our tests find you the best products to buy and show you the ones to avoid, so you don’t waste your money.

Every year, we analyse Black Friday deals across the UK and compare the prices to the six months before and after the sales weekend. Our 2023 investigation revealed that a whopping 98% of Black Friday deals were cheaper or the same price at other times of the year. 

We also looked at the individual products on offer and found Black Friday deals on shoddy and downright dangerous items which we’d unearthed in our rigorous, independent lab testing - so it’s always worth checking the Which? reviews before snapping up a so-called bargain. Sometimes the deals you see really are too good to be true.

Ele Clark, senior money and shopping editor at Which?, said: ‘Black Friday can be really helpful if there’s something you need and it’s on offer - but don’t feel pressured into buying in a rush, as our research shows it’s highly likely to be the same price again (or cheaper) in the months after the sales.’

See our Black Friday shopping tips.

Black Friday originated in the United States. It always falls the day after Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday in November, and marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. 

Retailers around the world caught onto Black Friday in the 2010s, led in the UK by American-owned retailers like Amazon and Asda, and gradually built-up momentum. 

Originally, Black Friday was all about hitting the high street while Cyber Monday was for online deals. But now, more money is spent online than in stores on Black Friday. 

While Black Friday used to be primarily focused on tech products, these days you can get everything from clothes to gardening implements in the sales, so think about what you actually need, and you may well find it for a bargain price.