Black Friday 2017: Purchases hit a record high this lunchtime, according to Barclaycard

Black Friday spending hit a record high this lunchtime, according to figures from Barclaycard.

The credit card provider said by 1pm, it had recorded a 26 per cent increase in the volume of payment transactions compared to the same period on Black Friday last year, along with a four per cent increase in the amount spent.

And Barclaycard processed a record-high 976 transactions per second between 12pm and 1pm. Last year’s Black Friday peak was 791 transactions per second, during the same time period.

“Early data suggests that shoppers have once again embraced Black Friday, with many taking advantage of the discounts on offer,” said Paulette Rowe, managing Director of Barclaycard Payment Solutions.

“The value spent is growing at a slightly slower rate than the number of transactions, indicating consumers may be opting to buy more goods at a lower price rather than investing in a handful of higher-value items. Nevertheless, it’s ‘so far, so normal’ on the high street and retailers will likely be encouraged by the results.”