The UK Christmas 2023 report forms part of the Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive insight into the consumer dynamics and spending habits of consumers for Christmas. The report analyses the market, the major players, the main trends, and consumer attitudes.
The proportion of consumers shopping for Christmas increased this year. Shoppers continued to spend on retail, but leisure popularity waned as consumers prioritized dining in at home and gift giving. A third of consumers stated that they started Christmas shopping earlier this year compared to last year, many doing so to spread the cost of the occasion. Spreading the cost allowed consumers to feel better prepared for Christmas this year, therefore putting themselves in a better position to buy what they want.
Consumers continue to focus on value for money and price, enabling discounters to outperform at Christmas 2023
The proportion of UK shoppers purchasing online over the Christmas period was down across all categories in 2023, with festive items witnessing the biggest decrease. Shoppers instead favoured physical locations such as retail parks, convenience stores, and out of town shopping centres, as they prioritize sensory instore experiences post-pandemic.
The proportion of consumers shopping for Christmas increased this year. Shoppers continued to spend on retail, but leisure popularity waned as consumers prioritized dining in at home and gift giving. A third of consumers stated that they started Christmas shopping earlier this year compared to last year, many doing so to spread the cost of the occasion. Spreading the cost allowed consumers to feel better prepared for Christmas this year, therefore putting themselves in a better position to buy what they want.
Scope
Shoppers continued to spend on retail, with almost 90% of consumers stating that they bought something for this occasion in 2023. However, leisure popularity waned, as consumers prioritized dining in at home and gift giving.Consumers continue to focus on value for money and price, enabling discounters to outperform at Christmas 2023
The proportion of UK shoppers purchasing online over the Christmas period was down across all categories in 2023, with festive items witnessing the biggest decrease. Shoppers instead favoured physical locations such as retail parks, convenience stores, and out of town shopping centres, as they prioritize sensory instore experiences post-pandemic.
Reasons to Buy
- Find out what categories consumers prioritised and cut back on for Christmas 2023.
- 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 2023, to discover areas of strengths and of improvements across Christmas ranges.
Table of Contents
- THE KEY FINDINGS
- Chart of the month
- Financial concerns outweigh sustainability as budgets tighten
- The key findings
- Christmas participation holds steady despite inflationary pressure weighing down consumer finances
- Marks & Spencer and the discounters outperform at Christmas as consumers continue to focus on quality and value
- Online penetration was down this Christmas, as shoppers continue to favour the experiential aspect of shopping instore
- 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
- Christmas returns
- Retailer drivers by category
- Seasonal food and drink
- Buying dynamics (Food & drink overall)
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics (Categories)
- Planned/impulse
- Gifts
- Buying dynamics (Gifts overall)
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Recipient
- Buying dynamics (Categories)
- Planned/impulse
- Personalisation
- Secondhand gifts
- Gifts purchased seen/promoted on social media
- Regifting
- Festive items
- Buying dynamics (Festive items overall)
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Buying dynamics (Categories)
- Planned/impulse
- Personalisation
- Items for the home
- Buying dynamics (Items for the home overall)
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Buying dynamics (Categories)
- Planned/impulse
- Methodology
- Technical details: consumer survey work
- Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2023
- Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2023
- Christmas gift categories consumers plan to return, 2022 & 2023
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for seasonal food & drink (2022-2023)
- Percentage point change retailer most shopped at for seasonal food & drink (2022-2023)
- Percentage point change retailer consumers switched to for seasonal food & drink (2022-2023)
- Products purchased - Christmas sweet products, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - Christmas savoury products, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - meat, fish and free from alternatives, 2022 and 2023
- Products purchased - fruit & vegetables, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - alcoholic beverages, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - non-alcoholic beverages, 2023
- Products bought on impulse - seasonal food & drink, 2022 & 2023
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for gifts (2022-2023)
- Products purchased - clothing & accessories, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - clothing & accessories, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - food gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - food gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - health & beauty, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - health & beauty, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - alcohol gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - alcohol gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - toys & games, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - toys & games, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - books, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - books, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - footwear, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - footwear, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - homewares, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - homewares, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - money, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - stationery, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - stationery, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - vouchers & gift cards, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - electricals, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - electricals, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - music & video, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - music & video, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - experiences, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - leather goods, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - leather goods, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - sports, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - sports, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - fine jewellery and watches, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - fine jewellery and watches, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - garden items, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - garden items, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - computers, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - computers, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - DIY, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - DIY, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - secondhand gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Social media platforms used, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - regifting, 2023
- Products bought on impulse - gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Products personalisation - gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for festive items (2022-2023)
- Products purchased - Christmas wrapping & cards, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - Christmas wrapping & cards, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - Christmas trees & decorations, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - Christmas trees & decorations, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - festive home products, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - festive home products, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - Christmas crackers, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - Christmas advent calendar, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - Christmas partywear, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - Christmas partywear, 2022 & 2023
- Products bought on impulse - festive items, 2022 & 2023
- Products personalisation - festive items, 2022 & 2023
- Percentage point change retailer shopped at for items for the home (2022-2023)
- Products purchased - electricals, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - electricals, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - homewares, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - homewares, 2022 & 2023
- Products purchased - furniture, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers used - furniture, 2022 & 2023
- Products bought on impulse - items for the home, 2022 & 2023
- Agreement and disagreement with the statement “Sustainability is a greater concern for me this Christmas and I am making changes to be more conscious of the environment”, total and by age, in 2023
- Christmas 2023 shopper penetration (by demographic and by region) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Christmas shopper profile (by demographic & by region), 2023
- Christmas 2023 retail shopper penetration (by demographic and by region)
- Christmas 2023 leisure shopper penetration (by demographic and by region)
- When consumers started their Christmas shopping, 2023
- Did consumers start their Christmas shopping earlier this year (by answer & age), 2023
- Reasons why consumers started Christmas shopping earlier, 2022 and 2023
- Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers' Christmas spending compared to last year, 2022 & 2023
- How consumers' Christmas spending changed due to the cost-of-living crisis, 2022 and 2023
- Priorities in different categories for Christmas spend, 2023
- How consumers financed Christmas spending, 2022 & 2023
- Agreement statements about Christmas, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Success of retailers at promoting or communicating Christmas deals, 2023
- Christmas stockings received penetration 2023 (by demographic and by region) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Christmas stockings given penetration 2023 (by demographic and by region) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Christmas stockings average spend, 2022 & 2023
- Christmas stockings bought, 2022 & 2023
- Secret Santa penetration 2023 (by demographic and by region) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Secret Santa budget, 2022 & 2023
- Secret Santa bought for, 2022 & 2023
- Secret Santa budget spending patterns, 2022 & 2023
- Why consumers are taking part in a family Secret Santa this year, 2023
- Do consumers often take part in a family Secret Santa, 2023
- Christmas returns penetration 2023 (by demographic and by region) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Number of Christmas returns 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 overall
- Reasons for returning Christmas presents, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- What's driving retailer selection - summary, 2023
- Overall food and drink penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for seasonal food and drink, 2022 & 2023
- Retailers most shopped at for seasonal food and drink, 2022 & 2023
- Drivers of food & drink retailer selection, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Consumers switching from their usual main retailer, 2023 by demographic & 2021, 2022 overall
- Top 10 retailers consumers switched to, 2022 & 2023
- Reasons for switching main retailer, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Consumers using each channel for purchasing seasonal food and drink, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each store type for purchasing seasonal food and drink, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each device for seasonal food and drink purchases, 2022 & 2023
- Fulfilment options for seasonal food and drink purchases made online, 2022 & 2023
- Average spend on seasonal food and non-alcoholic beverages by retailer, 2023 and £ change on 2022
- Average spend on seasonal alcoholic beverages by retailer, 2023 and £ change on 2022
- Christmas sweet products 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Christmas savoury products 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Meat, fish and free from alternatives 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Fruit & vegetables 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Alcoholic beverages 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Non-alcoholic beverages 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Overall seasonal food & drink planned/impulse purchases, 2023
- Overall gift penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Drivers of gifts retailer selection, 2023 & ppt change on 2022
- Consumers using each channel for purchasing Christmas gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using store type for purchasing Christmas gifts, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each device for Christmas gift shopping purchases, 2022 & 2023
- Fulfilment options for Christmas gift purchases made online, 2022 & 2023
- How consumers gave presents, 2022 & 2023
- Average spend on Christmas gifts by product category, 2023 and £ change on 2022
- Who consumers bought Christmas gifts for, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Clothing & accessories penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Food gifts penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Health & beauty penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Alcohol gifts penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Books penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Toys & games penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Views regarding gifting plastic toys, 2022 & 2023
- Footwear penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Homewares penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Money penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Voucher & gift cards penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Stationery penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Electricals penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Music & video penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Leather goods penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Computers penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Experiences penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Sports penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Fine jewellery & watches penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Garden items penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- DIY penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Overall gift planned/impulse purchases, 2023
- Overall gift personalisation, 2023
- Secondhand gifts penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2022 penetration
- Channel usage for secondhand gift purchasing, 2022 & 2023
- Reasons for purchasing/not purchasing secondhand gifts, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Gifts purchased seen/promoted on social media penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Regifting penetrations 2023 (by demographic) & 2022 penetration
- Reasons for regifting, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Who consumers regifted to, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Overall festive items penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for festive items, 2022 & 2023
- Drivers of retailer selection for festive items, 2023 and ppt change on 2022
- Consumers using each channel for festive item purchases, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each store type for festive item purchases, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each device for festive item purchases, 2022 & 2023
- Fulfilment options for festive item purchases made online, 2022 & 2023
- Average spend on festive items, 2023 and £ change on 2022
- Christmas wrapping & cards penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Types of gift bags purchased, 2022 & 2023
- Christmas trees and decorations penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Christmas tree purchasing dynamics, by real & artificial trees, 2023
- Artificial Christmas tree replacement by number of years
- Bulb count on Christmas lights purchased by internal & external, 2023
- Bulb colour of Christmas lights purchased by internal & external, 2023
- Festive home products penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Colour scheme chosen for festive home products, 2022, 2023
- Christmas crackers penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Consumers filling in Christmas crackers themselves, 2022, 2023
- Consumers' opinion on whether retailers should stop including plastic toys in crackers, 2022, 2023
- Christmas advent calendar penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Christmas advent calendar bought for, 2022 & 2023
- Types of products included in Christmas advent calendars, 2022 & 2023
- Christmas partywear penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Overall festive items planned/impulse purchases, 2023
- Overall festive items personalisation, 2023
- Overall items for the home penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for items for the home, 2022 & 2023
- Drivers of items for the home retailer selection, 2023 and ppt change from 2022
- Consumers using each channel for items for the home, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each store type for items for the home, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each device for items for the home, 2022 & 2023
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for items for the home, 2022 & 2023
- Average spend on items for the home by category, 2023 and £ change from 2022
- Electricals penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Homewares penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Furniture penetration 2023 (by demographic) & 2021, 2022 penetration
- Overall items for the home planned/impulse purchases, 2023
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Accessorize
- Adidas
- Aldi
- Amazon
- Apple
- Argos
- ASDA
- B&M
- B&Q
- Boots
- Card Factory
- Clintons
- Co-op
- Currys
- Decathlon
- DFS
- Dobbies
- Dunelm
- Ernest Jones
- GAME
- Gymshark
- H. Samuel
- Halfords
- Home Bargains
- Homebase
- HMV
- H&M
- Iceland
- IKEA
- JD Sports
- John Lewis & Partners
- Lidl
- Marks & Spencer
- Morrisons
- Next
- New Look
- Nike
- Ocado
- Pandora
- Poundland
- Primark
- Sainsbury's
- ScS
- Shein
- Smyths Toys
- Space NK
- Sports Direct
- Superdrug
- Tesco
- The Body Shop
- The Entertainer
- The Perfume Shop
- The Works
- TK Maxx
- Toolstation
- Very
- Waitrose & Partners
- Warren James
- Watchshop.com
- Waterstones
- WH Smith
- Zara
- Zavvi.com
