The UK Valentine's Day 2024 report forms part of the publisher's Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive insight into the consumer dynamics and spending habits of UK consumers for Valentine's Day. The report analyses the major players, the main trends, and consumer attitudes.
The proportion of UK consumers shopping for Valentine’s Day has declined this year, down on 2023. This has largely been driven by a muted interest in spending on retail, with the proportion of consumers spending on retail goods falling to just over 40%. This may be due to Valentine’s Day diminishing in significance, with over two-thirds of consumers agreeing that this occasion is important, up on 2023.
The proportion of Valentine's Day spending on retail decreased in 2024, as consumers focused on spending time with loved ones.
Quality was the most important factor in retailer selection for food & drink in 2024, with Marks & Spencer being the most popular choice with consumers switching from their usual retailer.
More consumers purchased from stores on high streets, town centres or in-town shopping centres this year, while the proportion of consumers purchasing online fell.
Understand the most popular Valentine's Day categories shopped for by consumers in 2024
Understand which channels used by consumers are the most popular when shopping for Valentine's Day products
The proportion of UK consumers shopping for Valentine’s Day has declined this year, down on 2023. This has largely been driven by a muted interest in spending on retail, with the proportion of consumers spending on retail goods falling to just over 40%. This may be due to Valentine’s Day diminishing in significance, with over two-thirds of consumers agreeing that this occasion is important, up on 2023.
Scope
Shopper penetration, retail penetration and leisure penetration all decreased against 2023.The proportion of Valentine's Day spending on retail decreased in 2024, as consumers focused on spending time with loved ones.
Quality was the most important factor in retailer selection for food & drink in 2024, with Marks & Spencer being the most popular choice with consumers switching from their usual retailer.
More consumers purchased from stores on high streets, town centres or in-town shopping centres this year, while the proportion of consumers purchasing online fell.
Reasons to Buy
Identify the key retailers used by consumers to purchase Valentine's Day products across various categories, and what drives consumers to shop with these retailersUnderstand the most popular Valentine's Day categories shopped for by consumers in 2024
Understand which channels used by consumers are the most popular when shopping for Valentine's Day products
Table of Contents
- KEY FINDINGS
- The key findings
- Valentine’s Day penetration declines as consumers prioritise quality time with their significant other
- Marks & Spencer remains a popular choice for Valentine’s Day as consumers seek high-quality food & drink
- Consumers prioritise meaningful gestures over lavish spending as big-ticket Valentine’s Day gifts lose popularity
- Trend insight - stores
- Trend insight - online
- CONSUMER ATTITUDES
- Participation dynamics
- Buying dynamics
- Financial wellbeing
- Valentine's Day spending
- Financing spending
- Valentine's Day spending
- Who shoppers bought for
- Valentine's Day activities
- Meal choices
- Takeaway cuisines
- Dining in choices
- Valentine's Day statements
- Retailer selection
- Retailer ratings - grocers
- Retailer ratings - non-food retailers
- Retailer drivers by category
- FOOD & DRINK
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer used
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Buying dynamics
- GIFTS
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer used
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Buying dynamics
- CARDS & GIFT WRAP
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer used
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Buying dynamics
- Digital cards
- METHODOLOGY
- Technical details: consumer survey work
- Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2024
- Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2024
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for Valentine's Day food & drink, 2023 to 2024
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers most shopped at for Valentine's Day food & drink, 2023 to 2024
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers consumers switched to for Valentine's Day food & drink, 2023 to 2024
- Products purchased, sweet products, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, alcoholic drinks, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, meat & meat-free alternatives, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, fruit & vegetables, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, non-alcoholic drinks, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, ready meals, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, fish, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, delicatessen products, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, breakfast foods, 2023 & 2024
- Products bought on impulse, 2023 & 2024
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for Valentine's Day gifts, 2023 to 2024
- Products purchased, food & drink gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, food & drink gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, flowers & plants, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, flowers & plants, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, fine jewellery & watches, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, fine jewellery & watches, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, clothing, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, clothing, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, accessories & footwear, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, accessories & footwear, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, homewares, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, homewares, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, health & beauty, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, health & beauty, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, soft toys, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, soft toys, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, stationery, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, stationery, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, experience, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, entertainment, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, entertainment, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, electricals, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, electricals, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, vouchers & money, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, sports, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, sports, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, books, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, books, 2023 & 2024
- Gift products bought on impulse, 2023 & 2024
- Gift products personalised, 2023 & 2024
- Average spend on cards & gift wrap, 2023 & 2024
- Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for Valentine's Day cards & gift wrap, 2023 to 2024
- Products purchased, cards, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, cards, 2023 & 2024
- Products purchased, gift wrap, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers used, gift wrap, 2023 & 2024
- Cards & gift wrap products bought on impulse, 2023 & 2024List of Figures
- Consumer responses to the statement ‘I feel a lot of pressure to buy the right thing for Valentine’s Day’, by gender and age, 2024
- Valentine’s Day participation penetration, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine’s Day shopper penetration, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine’s Day shopper profile, 2024
- Valentine’s Day retail penetration, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine’s Day leisure penetration, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine's Day spending compared to last year, 2023 & 2024
- How consumers financed Valentine's Day spending compared to last year, 2023 & 2024
- How consumers split Valentine's Day spending between retail & leisure, 2024
- Who consumers spent money on for Valentine's Day, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine's Day activities undertaken, 2024
- Valentine’s Day meal choices, 2024
- Valentine’s Day takeaway cuisines, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine’s Day dining in choices, 2023 & 2024
- Agreement and disagreement with statements about Valentine’s Day 2024, and change on 2023
- Which retailer did the best job of promoting or communicating deals for Valentine’s Day 2024, and change on 2023
- What’s driving retailer selection - summary, 2024
- Food & drink penetration, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers shopped at for food & drink, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers most shopped at for food & drink, 2023 & 2024
- What’s driving food & drink retailer selection 2024, and change on 2023
- Consumers switching from their usual main food & drink retailer, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers consumers switched to, 2023 & 2024
- Consumers using each channel for food & drink, 2024
- Consumers using each physical store type for food & drink, 2024
- Consumers using each device for food & drink purchases, 2024
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for food & drink, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine’s Day food & drink average spend 2024, and change on 2023
- Sweet products penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Alcoholic drinks penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Meat & meat-free alternatives penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Fruit & vegetables penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Breakfast foods penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Non-alcoholic drinks penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Fish penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Delicatessen products penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases, food & drink, 2023 & 2024
- Planned/impulse purchases, food & drink categories, 2023 & 2024
- Gifts overall penetration, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Retailers shopped at for gifts, 2023 & 2024
- What’s driving gifts retailer selection 2024, and change on 2023
- Consumers using each channel for gifts, 2024
- Consumers using each physical store type for gifts, 2024
- Consumers using each device for gifts purchases, 2024
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Valentine's Day gifts average spend 2024, and change on 2023
- Food & drink gifts penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Flowers & plants penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Fine jewellery & watches penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Clothing penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Accessories & footwear penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Homewares penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Health & beauty penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Soft toys penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Stationery penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Experience gifts penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Entertainment penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Electricals penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Vouchers & money penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Sports penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Books penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases, gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Planned/impulse purchases, gifts categories, 2023 & 2024
- Personalised products, gifts, 2023 & 2024
- Personalised products, gifts categories, 2023 & 2024
- Cards & gift wrap penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for cards & gift wrap, 2023 & 2024
- What's driving cards and gift wrap retailer selection 2024, and change on 2023
- Consumers using each channel for cards & gift wrap, 2024
- Consumers using each physical store type for cards & gift wrap, 2024
- Consumers using each device for cards & gift wrap purchases, 2024
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for cards & gift wrap, 2023 & 2024
- Cards penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Gift wrap penetration, 2024 (by demographic) and 2022 & 2023 penetration
- Planned/impulse purchases, cards & gift wrap, 2023 & 2024
- Planned/impulse purchases, cards & gift wrap categories, 2023 & 2024
- Proportion of consumers that personalised cards, 2023 & 2024
- Proportion of consumers that stated the ability to personalise a card was important, 2023 & 2024
- Reasons for sending a digital Valentine's Day card, 2024
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Adidas
- Aldi
- Amazon
- Apple
- Argos
- ASDA
- ASOS
- B&Q
- Blackwells
- Boots
- Card Factory
- Clintons
- Co-op
- Currys
- Debenhams
- Footasylum
- Funkypigeon.com
- GAME
- Goldsmiths
- H&M
- H. Samuel
- Halfords
- HMV
- Home Bargains
- Hotel Chocolat
- House of Fraser
- IKEA
- Independent retailer
- Interflora
- JD Sports
- John Lewis & Partners
- Lakeland
- Lidl
- Local florist/flower stall
- Marks & Spencer
- Matalan
- Moonpig.com
- Morrisons
- Next
- Nike
- Ocado
- Oliver Bonas
- Pandora
- Paperchase
- Pets at Home
- Poundland
- Primark
- Sainsbury's
- Savers
- Shoe Zone
- Smyths Toys
- Sports Direct
- Superdrug
- Tesco
- The Body Shop
- The Book People
- The Brilliant Gift Shop
- The Entertainer
- The Fragrance Shop
- The Perfume Shop
- The Range
- The Works
- Thorntons
- Tiffany & Co
- TK Maxx
- Very
- Waitrose & Partners
- Waterstones
- WH Smith
- Wordery
- Zara
- Zavvi
