The Queen's Speech will signal the biggest ever rush to the sales on Christmas Day as customers take advantage of the lull in festivities to shop online, analysts have predicted.
Online expert Transaction Partnership, which advises retailers like Matalan and O'Neill, has pinpointed 3pm on December 25 as the key time when most cost-conscious consumers begin searching for bargains.

Last year, Christmas Day was the second biggest day of the year for online site traffic and Transaction Partnership has forecast that this year will become even more like just another online trading day, further eroding the traditional family celebration.

It has advised retailers of the key time on Christmas Day so they can plan for resource implications. Their analysis shows that 3pm on December 25 is the time when the majority of people will have opened their presents and had their traditional turkey lunch - with the dwindling appeal of the Queen's Speech allowing people to start thinking about grabbing a bargain, redeeming gift vouchers or checking the value of the presents they have received.

Richard Blanchard said: “More retail sales started on Christmas Day 2007 than ever before and retailers caught out last time won't let it happen again. The first time many people will have chance to sit down and think about the sales will be 3pm on December 25 - and the fact that fewer and fewer of them watch the Queen's Speech means they can grab a few minutes to go online.”

Last year's royal address was watched by under eight million people on BBC1 and ITV1 combined, down from 28million in 1987. Meanwhile, EastEnders was the biggest draw last year with 13.9 million people tuning in.