Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Areas covered in this report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Market sizes for the major seasonal events
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- Figure 1: Estimated Spring/Summer seasonal events market size (including VAT), 2017
- Retail sales performance in 2017
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- Figure 2: Annual percentage change in all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2017
- Figure 3: Value of retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by Spring/Summer months, 2015-17
- Online accounts for greater proportion of retail sales
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- Figure 4: Online retail sales as a percentage of all retail sales, by month, 2016-17
- The consumer
- Fewer people shopping for the major spring/spring events…
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- Figure 5: Purchasing for Spring/Summer events in 2017, July/August 2017
- ...but those that do are spending more
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- Figure 6: Average amount spent on products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, 2015-17
- Most still shop in-store for gifts
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- Figure 7: Purchasing of products, in-store or online, July/August 2017
- More than half start planning at least two weeks in advance
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- Figure 8: How far in advance they start planning for Spring/Summer events, July/August 2017
- Negative perceptions of the spring/summer events
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- Figure 9: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, July/August 2017
- What consumer do during the bank holidays
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- Figure 10: What they do during the spring bank holiday weekends, July/August 2017
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Can retailers boost appeal of spring/summer events?
- The facts
- The implications
- Utilising online to capture seasonal spending
- The facts
- The implications
- When and where should retailers target shoppers?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Spending on seasonal events continues to grow
- Valentine’s Day becomes the biggest spring/summer retail event
- Late Easter boost retail sales in 2017
- Spring/summer months account for 44% of all online retail sales
Market Size
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- Spending on the spring/summers events rises 8.2%
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- Figure 11: Estimated Spring/Summer seasonal events market size (including VAT), 2017
- Greetings cards account for smaller proportion of sales
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- Figure 12: Estimated breakdown of retail sales by products purchased for Spring/Summer events, 2017
- Figure 13: Estimated breakdown of retail sales by products purchased for Spring/Summer events (including VAT), 2017
Retail Sales across the Year
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- Seasonal retail sales
- Spring retail sales suffer from early Easter in 2016
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- Figure 14: Value of all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by season, 2016
- Christmas continues to drive end of year peak
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- Figure 15: Value of all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2015-17
- Spring/summer fashion purchasing now peaks in July
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- Figure 16: Value of leading category retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2015-17
- Despite falling real incomes, retail sales continue to grow in 2017
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- Figure 17: Annual percentage change in all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2015-17
- Household goods boosted by late Easter in 2017
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- Figure 18: Annual percentage change in leading category retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2017
- Increased spending during spring/summer months
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- Figure 19: Value of retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by Spring/Summer months, 2015-17
Online Retail Sales across the Year
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- Seasonal retail sales online
- Autumn season growing share of online retail sales
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- Figure 20: Value of all online retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by season, 2016
- Black Friday promotions boost online sales in late 2016
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- Figure 21: Value of all online retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2016-17
- Online accounting for bigger share of total retail
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- Figure 22: Online retail sales as a percentage of all retail sales, by month, 2015-17
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- Figure 23: Online retail sales as a percentage of all retail sales, by category, by month, 2015-17
- Consistent growth online retail sales during spring/summer months
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- Figure 24: Value of online retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by spring/summer months, 2015-17
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Advertising spend down 0.5% spring/summer 2017
- Inclusive marketing gains momentum
- Retailers use events to capture seasonal shoppers
- Efforts to encourage Father’s Day spending
Advertising Spend across the Year
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- Easter boosts advertising spend in March 2016
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- Figure 25: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, by month, 2016
- Figure 26: Annual percentage change in total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, by month, 2016
- November remains the biggest month for retail advertising
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- Figure 27: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers, monthly as a % of total spending, 2016
- Fewer retailers using press marketing
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- Figure 28: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers, by advertising method, 2016
- Figure 29: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers, 2012-16
- Spring/summer in focus
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- Figure 30: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers during the spring and summer months, 2015-17
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- Figure 31: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers during the spring and summer months (Mar-Aug), by media type, 2013-17
- Supermarket spending at Easter
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- Figure 32: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure on Easter products by selected leading supermarket retailers, 2013-17
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- The retailers ‘Serving the Underserved’
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- Figure 33: Lush Valentine’s Day 2017 Better Together campaign
- Figure 34: Sainsbury’s same-sex Valentine’s Day greeting cards, 2017
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- Figure 35: Happy Father’s Day Mum greeting cards, 2017
- Debenhams unveils Valentine’s Drive-Thru
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- Figure 36: Debenhams Valentine’s Day Drive-Through, 2017
- Improving retail delivery options
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- Figure 37: Zalando/Pacify geolocation delivery
- Chatbots help customers find gifts online
- Events drive seasonal shoppers in-store
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- Figure 38: Paperchase Love Week, February 2017
- Ted Baker engages shoppers with playful messaging
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- Figure 39: Love Bites Valentine’s game, 2017
- Cut price Mother’s Day
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- Figure 40: Lidl Surprises campaign, 2017
- The rise of novelty Easter eggs
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- Figure 41: The Cheester Egg, 2017
- Figure 42: Hotel Chocolat Egg Sandwich, 2017
- Retailer taps into social media opportunity
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- Figure 43: Pandora Valentine’s Day ‘Love Booths’, 2017
- Retailers embrace stereotypes for Father’s Day
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- Figure 44: Moonpig.com’s Father’s Day edible ‘Meating Cards’, 2017
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- Figure 45: Carhartt Father’s Day campaign, 2017
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- More people shop for Mother’s Day…
- …but people spend more on Valentine’s Day
- Almost a third shop online
- Men spend less time planning
- Price sensitivity high in build up to the spring/summer events
- One in five goes shopping over the bank holidays
Spring/Summer Events: Who Buys What?
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- Mother’s Day most purchased for spring/summer event
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- Figure 46: Purchasing for Spring/Summer events in 2017, July/August 2017
- Most people still buy products rather than experiences
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- Figure 47: Purchasing of products and services for Spring/Summer events in 2017, July/August 2017
- Men continue to shop more for Valentine’s Day
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- Figure 48: Purchasing of products and services for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by gender, July/August 2017
- Young people more engaged with seasonal retail events
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- Figure 49: Purchasing of products and services for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by age, July/August 2017
- Affluence impacts purchasing
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- Figure 50: Purchasing of products and services for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by socio-economic group, July/August 2017
- Half buy chocolate gifts at Easter
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- Figure 51: Purchasing of products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by event, July/August 2017
- One in ten dines out for Valentine’s Day
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- Figure 52: Purchasing of services for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by event, July/August 2017
- Most just buy one type of gift
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- Figure 53: Repertoire of products purchased for seasonal events in 2017, by demographics, July/August 2017
Spring/Summer Events: How They Shop
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- Most still shop in-store
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- Figure 54: Purchasing of products, in-store or online, July/August 2017
- Fewer people shop online at Easter
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- Figure 55: Purchasing of products, in-store or online, by event, July/August 2017
- Young men drive online purchases
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- Figure 56: Purchasing of products, in-store or online, by age, July/August 2017
Spring/Summer Events: How Much They Spend
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- Valentine’s shoppers most generous
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- Figure 57: Average amount spent on products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, July/August 2017
- People spend more on seasonal events in 2017
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- Figure 58: Average amount spent on products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, 2015-17
- Men drive spring/summer spending
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- Figure 59: Average amount spent on products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by gender, July/August 2017
- Young people spend more on Father’s Day
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- Figure 60: Average amount spent on products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by age, July/August 2017
- Affluent more engaged in seasonal shopping
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- Figure 61: Average amount spent on products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by socio-economic group, July/August 2017
- Opportunity to boost sales in rural communities
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- Figure 62: Average amount spent on products for Spring/Summer events in 2017, by location, July/August 2017
Spring/Summer Events: Purchasing Planning
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- Most consumers plan ahead
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- Figure 63: How far in advance they start planning for Spring/Summer events, July/August 2017
- Easter requires more planning
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- Figure 64: How far in advance they start planning for Spring/Summer events, by event, July/August 2017
- One in twenty male consumers shops on the day
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- Figure 65: How far in advance they start planning for Spring/Summer events, by gender, July/August 2017
- Week before important for capturing Millennials
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- Figure 66: How far in advance they start planning for Spring/Summer events, by age, July/August 2017
- Longer preparation time for those in rural locations
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- Figure 67: How far in advance they start planning for Spring/Summer events, by location, July/August 2017
Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events
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- Most think the spring/summer events are too commercialised
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- Figure 68: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, July/August 2017
- Seasonal shopping fatigue highest among Easter shoppers
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- Figure 69: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, by event, July/August 2017
- Older consumers are more negative about seasonal shopping
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- Figure 70: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, by age, July/August 2017
- Two thirds of 16-24s inspired by social media content
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- Figure 71: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, by age, July/August 2017
- Experiences important to young people
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- Figure 72: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, by age, July/August 2017
- Opportunity to drive Father’s Day purchases with social media
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- Figure 73: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, by event, July/August 2017
- Interest in personalisation peaks amongst Valentine’s Day shoppers
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- Figure 74: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, by event, July/August 2017
Spring/Summer Events – Target Groups
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- Split opinions on the spring/summer retail events
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- Figure 75: Attitudes towards the Spring/Summer Events, target groups, July/August 2017
- Key characteristics
- Experience Seekers
- Content Shoppers
- Seasonal Sceptics
- Price Conscious
CHAID Analysis – Spring/Summer Events
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- Methodology
- Men want better suggestions for Valentine’s Day
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- Figure 76: Seasonal shopping – CHAID – Tree output, August 2017
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- Figure 77: Seasonal shopping – CHAID – Table output, August 2017
Spring Bank Holiday Behaviour
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- Dining out and shopping most popular activities
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- Figure 78: What they do during the spring bank holiday weekends, July/August 2017
- Millennials most active over bank holidays
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- Figure 79: What they do during the spring bank holiday weekends, by age, July/August 2017
- One in five does just one activity
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- Figure 80: Repertoire of what they do during the spring bank holiday weekends, July/August 2017
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Data sources
- Market sizes
- VAT
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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