UK shoppers will spend an average of £305.90 each in the summer Sales this year, but just 8 per cent will spend more than they did last summer, according to research by Sainsbury’s Finance.

UK shoppers will spend an average of£305.90 each in the summer Sales this year, but just 8 per cent will spend more than they did last summer, according to research by Sainsbury’s Finance.

The poll of nearly 2,000 people found that the main items likely to be bought in the sales will be clothes (33.5 per cent of total spending), followed by home furnishings (18.2 per cent) and consumer electricals (15.5 per cent).

Nearly two thirds of consumers expect their summer Sales spending to be about the same as 2007, but just 8 per cent said they planned to spend more than last year.

Of the respondents, 3 per cent of adults anticipate spending more than£800 and 42 per cent of summer sale spending – some£3.29 billion – will be placed on credit cards.

Regionally, consumers in the Southeast expect to spend more than in any other UK area, with an average projected spend of£401.90 per person. Shoppers in London will spend an average of£330.20; in the West Midlands£311.70; the North, Southwest and Wales£299; Scotland£284.50;Yorkshire and Humberside£270.40.

The lowest spenders will be from the East Midlands and East Anglia, with an average projected outlay of£192.60.