The proportion of UK consumers spending on Christmas increased by 2.1ppts to reach 87.8% in 2024. Although this figure is still below 2019 levels due to the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis, it has gradually improved over the past three years in conjunction with improving consumer sentiment.
Key Highlights
- The proportion of UK consumers spending on Christmas increased by 2.1ppts to reach 87.8% in 2024.
- 34.8% of consumers began Christmas shopping earlier this year than last year.
- Seasonal food & drink uptake has reached an all-time high in 2024, with 82.6% of Christmas shoppers purchasing this category.
Reasons to Buy
- Find out what categories consumers prioritised and cut back on for Christmas 2024.
- Understand what drives consumers to use a retailer for their purchases, such as convenience, value for money and delivery options in order to maximise sales potential.
- Discover how competitor retailers faired across various Christmas categories in 2024, to discover areas of strengths and of improvements across Christmas ranges.
Table of Contents
- KEY FINDINGS
- The key findings
- Christmas shopper more confident to splurge this Christmas
- Consumers started their Christmas shopping earlier this year
- Marks & Spencer’s innovation in food & drink will force competitors to follow suit
- Trend insight - stores
- Trend insight - online
- CONSUMER ATTITUDES
- Buying dynamics
- Financial wellbeing
- Christmas spending
- Financial spending
- Christmas statements
- Retailer selection
- Retailer ratings - grocers
- Retailer ratings - non-food retailers
- Christmas stockings
- Secret Santa
- Secret Santa family participation
- Christmas returns
- Secondhand Christmas items
- Retailer drivers by category
- SEASONAL FOOD & DRINK
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse
- GIFTING
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse
- Personalisation
- Secondhand gifts
- Gifts purchased seen/promoted on social media
- Regifting
- FESTIVE ITEMS
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics
- Advent calendar recipients
- Advent calendar types
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse
- Personalisation
- ITEMS FOR THE HOME
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse
- METHODOLOGY
- Technical details: consumer survey work
- Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2024
- Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2024
- Christmas gift categories consumers plan to return, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased secondhand by Christmas shoppers (%), 2024
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for seasonal food & drink (2023-2024)
- Percentage point change retailer most shopped at for seasonal food & drink (2023-2024)
- Percentage point change retailer consumers switched to for seasonal food & drink (2023-2024)
- Products purchased - Christmas sweet products, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - Christmas savoury products, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - meat, fish and free from alternatives, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - fruit & vegetables, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - alcoholic beverages, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - frozen foods, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - non-alcoholic beverages, 2024
- Products bought on impulse - seasonal food & drink, 2023 & 2024
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for gifts (2023-2024)
- Products purchased - clothing & accessories, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - clothing & accessories, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - food gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - food gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - health & beauty, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - health & beauty, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - alcohol gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - alcohol gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - books, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - books, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - toys & games, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - toys & games, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - footwear, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - footwear, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - homewares, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - homewares, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - money, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - stationery, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - stationery, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - vouchers & gift cards, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - electricals, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - electricals, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - leather goods, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - leather goods, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - music & video, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - music & video, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - experiences, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - sports, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - sports, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - fine jewellery and watches, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - fine jewellery and watches, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - computers, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - computers, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - garden items, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - garden items, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - DIY, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - DIY, 2023 & 2024
- Products bought on impulse - gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Products personalisation - gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - secondhand gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Social media platforms used, 2023 & 2024
- Product categories regifted, 2024
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for festive items (2023-2024)
- Products purchased - Christmas wrapping & cards, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - Christmas wrapping & cards, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - Christmas trees & decorations, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - Christmas trees & decorations, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - festive home products, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - festive home products, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - Christmas advent calendar, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - Christmas crackers, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - Christmas partywear, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - Christmas partywear, 2023 & 2024
- Products bought on impulse - festive items, 2023 & 2024
- Products personalisation - festive items, 2023 & 2024
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for items for the home (2023-2024)
- Products purchased - homewares, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - homewares, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - electricals, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - electricals, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased - furniture, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used - furniture, 2023 & 2024
- Products bought on impulse - items for the home, 2023 & 2024
- Christmas 2024 shopper penetration (by demographic and by region) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Christmas shopper profile (by demographic & by region), 2024
- Christmas 2024 retail shopper penetration (by demographic and by region)
- Christmas 2024 leisure shopper penetration (by demographic and by region)
- When consumers started their Christmas shopping, 2023 & 2024
- Did consumers start their Christmas shopping earlier this year (by demographic), 2024
- Reasons why consumers started Christmas shopping earlier, 2024
- Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers' Christmas spending compared to last year, 2023 & 2024
- Priorities in different categories for Christmas spend, 2024
- How consumers financed Christmas spending, 2023 & 2024
- Agreement statements about Christmas, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Success of retailers at promoting or communicating Christmas deals, 2024
- Christmas stockings received penetration 2024 (by demographic and by region) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Christmas stockings given penetration 2024 (by demographic and by region) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Christmas stockings average spend, 2023 & 2024
- Christmas stockings bought, 2023 & 2024
- Secret Santa penetration 2024 (by demographic and by region) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Secret Santa budget, 2023 & 2024
- Secret Santa bought for, 2023 & 2024
- Secret Santa budget spending patterns, 2023 & 2024
- Why consumers are taking part in a family Secret Santa this year, 2024
- Do consumers often take part in a family Secret Santa, 2024
- Christmas returns penetration 2024 (by demographic and by region) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Number of Christmas returns 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 overall
- Reasons for returning Christmas presents, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Christmas secondhand purchase penetration 2024 (by demographic)
- Reasons for shopping secondhand, 2024
- Reasons for not shopping secondhand, 2024
- What's driving retailer selection - summary, 2024
- Overall food and drink penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for seasonal food and drink, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers most shopped at for seasonal food and drink, 2023 & 2024
- Drivers of food & drink retailer selection, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Consumers switching from their usual main retailer, 2024 by demographic & 2022, 2023 overall
- Top 10 retailers consumers switched to, 2023 & 2024
- Reasons for switching main retailer, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Consumers using each channel for purchasing seasonal food and drink, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each store type for purchasing seasonal food and drink, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each device for seasonal food and drink purchases, 2023 & 2024
- Fulfilment options for seasonal food and drink purchases made online, 2023 & 2024
- Average spend on seasonal food and non-alcoholic beverages by retailer, 2024 and £ change on 2023
- Average spend on seasonal alcoholic beverages by retailer, 2024 and £ change on 2023
- Christmas sweet products 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Christmas savoury products 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Meat, fish and free from alternatives 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Fruit & vegetables 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Alcoholic beverages 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Frozen foods 2024 (by demographic)
- Non-alcoholic beverages 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Overall seasonal food & drink planned/impulse purchases, 2024
- Overall gift penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Drivers of gifts retailer selection, 2024 & ppt change on 2023
- Consumers using each channel for purchasing Christmas gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using store type for purchasing Christmas gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each device for Christmas gift shopping purchases, 2023 & 2024
- Fulfilment options for Christmas gift purchases made online, 2023 & 2024
- How consumers gave presents, 2023 & 2024
- Average spend on Christmas gifts by product category, 2024 and £ change on 2023
- Who consumers bought Christmas gifts for, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Clothing & accessories penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Food gifts penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Health & beauty penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Alcohol gifts penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Books penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Toys & games penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Views regarding gifting plastic toys, 2023 & 2024
- Footwear penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Homewares penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Money penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Stationery penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Voucher & gift cards penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Electricals penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Leather goods penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Music & video penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Experiences penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Sports penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Fine jewellery & watches penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Computers penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Garden items penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- DIY penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Overall gift planned/impulse purchases, 2024
- Overall gift personalisation, 2024
- Secondhand gifts penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Channel usage for secondhand gift purchasing, 2023 & 2024
- Reasons for purchasing/not purchasing secondhand gifts, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Gifts purchased seen/promoted on social media penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Regifting penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Reasons for regifting, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Who consumers regifted to, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Overall festive items penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for festive items, 2023 & 2024
- Drivers of retailer selection for festive items, 2024 and ppt change on 2023
- Consumers using each channel for festive item purchases, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each store type for festive item purchases, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each device for festive item purchases, 2023 & 2024
- Fulfilment options for festive item purchases made online, 2023 & 2024
- Average spend on festive items, 2024 and £ change on 2023
- Christmas wrapping & cards penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Types of gift bags purchased, 2023 & 2024
- Christmas trees and decorations penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Christmas tree purchasing dynamics, by real & artificial trees, 2024
- Artificial Christmas tree replacement by number of years, 2024
- Bulb count on Christmas lights purchased by internal & external, 2024
- Bulb colour of Christmas lights purchased by internal & external, 2024
- Festive home products penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Colour scheme chosen for festive home products, 2023 & 2024
- Christmas advent calendar penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Christmas advent calendar bought for, 2023 & 2024
- Types of products included in Christmas advent calendars, 2023 & 2024
- Christmas crackers penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Consumers filling in Christmas crackers themselves, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers' opinion on whether retailers should stop including plastic toys in crackers, 2023 & 2024
- Christmas partywear penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Overall festive items planned/impulse purchases, 2024
- Overall festive items personalisation, 2024
- Overall items for the home penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for items for the home, 2023 & 2024
- Drivers of items for the home retailer selection, 2024 and ppt change from 2023
- Consumers using each channel for items for the home, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each store type for items for the home, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each device for items for the home, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for items for the home, 2023 & 2024
- Average spend on items for the home by category, 2024 and £ change from 2023
- Homewares penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Electricals penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Furniture penetration 2024 (by demographic) & 2022, 2023 penetration
- Overall items for the home planned/impulse purchases, 2024
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Adidas
- Aldi
- Amazon
- AO
- Apple
- Argos
- ASDA
- B&M
- B&Q
- Boots
- Card Factory
- Clintons
- Co-op
- Currys
- Dunelm
- Emma Mattresses
- Eve Sleep
- Google Play
- H. Samuel
- Home Bargains
- Homebase
- Iceland
- IKEA
- JD Sports
- John Lewis & Partners
- Laptops Direct
- Lidl
- Littlewoods
- Loaf
- Lululemon
- Marks & Spencer
- Matalan
- Morrisons
- Next
- Nike
- Oak Furniture Land
- Pandora
- Poundland
- Primark
- Sainsbury's
- Screwfix
- Shein
- Smyths Toys
- Sports Direct
- Superdrug
- Swarovski
- Temu
- Tesco
- The Body Shop
- The Entertainer
- The Perfume Shop
- The Range
- The Works
- Tiffany & Co.
- TK Maxx
- Under Armour
- Very
- Waitrose & Partners
- Warren James
- Waterstones
- WH Smith
- Zara
- Zavvi.com

