Monday 22 November 2021
How much do you spend on gifts?
Germans are not in the Christmas mood yet
With the increasing number of infections, Christmas will fade into the background in just under five weeks. According to a survey, most of the shopping for the contemplative days takes place online. The German citizens want to spend a little less money on gifts this year.
The increasing restrictions due to the increasing corona infections cloud the anticipation of the festival and shopping for it. In a survey by the business consultancy EY, 53 percent said that the anticipation of Christmas shopping was clouded by the fact that Christmas markets and other events do not take place or only to a limited extent. 30 percent of those surveyed would rather shop online than in brick-and-mortar stores. When giving gifts and celebrating, the majority want to pay attention to sustainability.
According to the EY survey, Germans want to spend an average of 273 euros on Christmas gifts this year – that’s three percent less than in the two previous years. More than two thirds of those surveyed (71 percent) said they wanted to pay attention to sustainability – for example by saving packaging and gift material, buying regional groceries and choosing the highest efficiency class for electronic devices. “Sustainable and locally produced products have become more and more popular among German citizens. They now choose their purchases based on whether they damage the environment or whether they come from local retailers,” said Klaus Ballas, Head of Consumer Goods and Retail at EY.
In addition, consumers wanted both the on-site shopping experience and the quick and uncomplicated selection on the Internet. 35 percent said they wanted to shop online as well as in brick-and-mortar stores. Sales via the Internet were ahead in the survey this year for the first time with an average budget of 117 euros – ahead of specialist shops and department stores. The pandemic gave online shopping another powerful boost, said Ballas.
When it comes to online purchases, 66 percent of those surveyed primarily estimate that there are no business hours. 57 percent find it particularly good that they can avoid the crowded city centers. Health protection, on the other hand – was mentioned by 62 percent a year ago – is currently only decisive for 39 percent. According to the survey, 30 percent of consumers are worried about the news about raw material shortages, semiconductor shortages and transport problems and therefore want to bring their Christmas shopping forward. More than half (54 percent) assume that the gifts will therefore be more expensive. EY surveyed 1,500 adult consumers in Germany at the beginning of November.