Consumer spending slowed over Christmas period, Visa figures show

Spending fell 2.3% in December but was up for 2016 as a whole, with some raising concerns about mounting consumer debt

Consumer spending slowed over the Christmasperiod, according to figures that suggest Britons shunned the high street in favour of online shopping and nights out.

Spending fell back 2.3% in December from a strong November when Black Friday deals appeared to boost sales, figures from Visa show. That left consumer spending up 2.6% on the year, a slowdown from November's growth of 3.1%.

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