When we think of the perfect Christmas, the images we conjure are synonymous with indulgence; food and wine, luxurious gifts, exciting travel plans and special time with family and friends. The ideal Christmas has always been about spoiling loved ones and treating ourselves to a little bit extra.
But with the rising cost of living, interest rate hikes and legitimate fears of a global recession, Christmas this year will likely look a little bit different for many of us. As we progress with ‘normal life’ in the wake of the pandemic, we now have a new set of challenges to navigate.
We surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,638 Pureprofile panellists in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, to find out about their plans for this year’s festivities and how the global cost of living crisis will impact their celebrations and purchase decisions. This is what we found:
Buying fewer gifts is the top budgetary measure people will take in all 3 countries: UK (62%), New Zealand (60%) and Australia (58%).
Gift cards and money are at the top of the wish list for Aussies and Kiwis. Whilst Brits have a higher preference for clothes, followed by gift cards.
45% of Brits will spend less on food & drink this Christmas, compared to 37% of Aussies and Kiwis.
1/3 of Aussies, Brits and Kiwis will look for cheaper food options this Christmas.
Kiwis feel the most positive about the upcoming festivities (65%), compared to Aussies (57%) and Brits (52%).
Extra demands on finances is the biggest issue to negatively affect people this year: 39% in UK and New Zealand and 36% in Australia.
Uncover more insights from our 2022 global Christmas report here.
The infographic below represents further key findings from the research:
