When is Black Friday 2020 and how will this year's shopping extravaganza be affected by coronavirus?

Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, and occurs on the Friday after Thanksgiving day.

Every year, shoppers flood to stores, which offer heavy sales and deals on products.

The day has been popular in the US since the 1950s, but since 2000 has gained worldwide popularity.

But in 2020, sales might look a little different due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here's what to expect:

Black Friday falls this year on Friday 27 November. The date always falls the day after Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November. However, Black Friday sales now begin before that date. We can expect them to start from Saturday 21 November.

The coronavirus pandemic has drastically affected global sales, with many shops shutting for months due to lockdowns, and people still avoiding the high street since they have reopened. While Black Friday is usually a chaotic event with people crowding into stores, this is likely to be more muted this year due to the virus. People will still be expected to socially distance and wear masks in-store, and stores may have limits on the number of people allowed inside at any one time.

In-person retailers are considering scaling back the normal discounting frenzy over fears of spreading Covid-19. Companies such as JD Sports have suggested the Christmas sales will be difficult unless a vaccine is created. Jace Tyrell, chief executive of the New West End Company, which represents 600 businesses in London’s West End, has said the company will have “serious conversations” about how to manage Black Friday and the run-up to Christmas while combatting coronavirus.

However, there has been an almost 75% increase in online shopping due to the pandemic. We can expect online sales to skyrocket during Black Friday. Instead of queueing outside, many shoppers will this year be glued to a screen as sales begin.