Want to grab a bargain in the sales, but worried about bogus discounts and unsure where to start? Here’s how to make the annual shopping events work for you

Black Friday didn’t exist when I was a kid. In the 80s, the fourth Friday in November was just another chalk mark on the tedious stretch between Bonfire Night and Christmas. But Black Friday, which falls on 29 November this year, is now as much a British autumn staple as Strictly.

The cost of living crisis has played a part in boosting Black Friday’s popularity in the UK. More than half of shoppers now rely on discounts because of financial concerns, according to Mintel – and Black Friday is about nothing if not finding discounts. It has replaced Boxing Day and January as the top bargain-hunting bonanza of the year, with sales up 7.3% year on year.