Retail Occasions Series - United Kingdom (UK) Christmas 2023

Retail Occasions Series - United Kingdom (UK) Christmas 2023

Summary
The UK Christmas 2023 report forms part of GlobalData's 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.

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.