'Vomiting horrifically' - comedian Ellie Taylor on pulling a sickie as Scousers plan to skive on Black Friday

As Black Friday (November 29) approaches, new research from Rakuten UK has revealed that bargain-hunting could cost the UK over 80 million work hours. Comedian Ellie Taylor is adding to the fun with her tongue-in-cheek guide to "perfecting the sickie.”

Speaking to LiverpoolWorld, Ellie said: "You've got to commit. You can't say, I've got a bit of a runny nose, you have to be like, I'm vomiting horrifically or anything to do with a funny tummy. You can even just say, funny tummy with a well-placed puke emoji."

Nearly 10% of people in Liverpool surveyed admit they plan to call in sick, ranging from ‘flu’ to fictitious doctor's appointments. Others plan to shop during work hours, with 27% saying they'll juggle sales and their jobs. Over half of Black Friday shoppers in Liverpool say they'll be up before 5.30am to grab the best deals, showing just how much the retail event has taken hold of the UK.

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Since arriving in the UK in 2010, Black Friday has reshaped the shopping calendar, with November now rivalling December as the key month for retail sales. While online shopping dominates, nearly half of consumers still plan to hit the high street.

Shopping Expert Alex Stedman from Rakuten UK told us: "It used to be all about the January sales, which was spending money in January which we didn't have because you'd spent all your money on Christmas, so it kind of makes sense to bring it earlier. I think a lot of people will be buying their Christmas shopping, which I think is a really sensible idea as long as you approach black Friday with the idea in mind of things that you want to buy."

This transformation has also seen a surge in online shopping. In 2020, UK online Black Friday sales reached £8.57 billion; yet, in-store shopping remains significant, with nearly half of UK consumers still making purchases in physical stores in 2023.

From early-morning browsing to calling in sick, Brits are gearing up for one of the most anticipated shopping days of the year with a lot of dedication (and creativity) in their approach.

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