Australian shoppers are tipped to spend an average of $850 each from Boxing Day through to January 15,  2015, representing a total of $16.1 billion in post-Christmas retail sales.

New research released by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan revealed the figure of $16.1 billion represents an estimated year on year growth of 3.6 per cent.

Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the ARA, said shoppers are expected to flock to their local shopping precincts early this week to purchase last minute gifts.

“While plenty of Australians will complete their Christmas shopping for loved ones this weekend or early next week, many will hit the shops again come Boxing Day in hope of bagging a bargain or two for themselves,” Zimmerman said.

“The post Christmas shopping period is as equally as crucial as pre-Christmas preparations, and we congratulate those retailers who are working hard to prepare their stores, websites and staff for a chaotic (and hopefully successful) sales period from December 26.

“The festive sales period doesn’t just continue in the stores; there are also many shoppers who will be enjoying the sales from their living rooms. Some retailers are expected to start their Boxing Day sales as early as Christmas Eve this year.”

According to the research, this year the hospitality sector shows the highest level of predicted growth at 6.7 per cent and household goods are also expected to experience a small but significant jump in post Christmas sales.

“It’s fantastic to see that all states and territories are predicted to experience positive growth post Christmas, ranging from 1.2 per cent (ACT) to 4.2 per cent (NSW). After what has been a tough year in business, the ARA is hopeful this positive trend will continue into 2015,” Zimmerman said.