When is Black Friday 2026?

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. A Black Friday report by data analysis firm Globaldata, said that Black Friday shopping in 2025 passed pre-pandemic levels, with almost two thirds of consumers making a purchase.

As the cost of living crisis and persistently high inflation continue to put pressure on our purchasing power, it remains to be seen what will happen in 2026.

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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 2025 investigation revealed that 100% of Black Friday deals analysed 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 Which? Don't Buys. It's always worth checking our rigorous, independent reviews before snapping up a so-called bargain as sometimes the deals you see are too good to be true.

Ellie Simmonds, Which? senior researcher, says: 'If there's only one piece of advice you take away this Black Friday, it's not to let yourself feel rushed. Great prices on great products are almost invariably repeated again fairly soon after. Remember, retailers want you to feel time-pressured as you're more likely to spend more and make poor choices.'

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.