Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Gift spending during spring/summer events estimated to be worth £3.2 billion
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- Figure 1: Estimated consumer gift spending on the spring/summer retail events in 2019
- Consumer confidence is strong despite Brexit uncertainties
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- Figure 2: Consumer financial confidence, January 2017-May 2019
- Retail sales hit £379.6 billion in 2018
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- Figure 3: Value of all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by season, 2018
- Companies and brands
- Advertising spend declines 2.9% compared to 2017
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- Figure 4: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, by month, 2018
- Advertising Standards Authority bans ‘harmful’ stereotypes in adverts
- The consumer
- Easter most purchased-for event in 2019
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- Figure 5: Gift purchasing for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
- In-store purchases of gifts still dominate over online gift purchasing
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- Figure 6: How consumers shopped for gifts for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
- Consumers choose to celebrate seasonal events with food and drink
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- Figure 7: Activity participation for Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in 2019, May-July 2019
- Mother’s and Father’s Day is a time to spend with family
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- Figure 8: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day attitudes, May-July 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How could retailers move away from gendered marketing for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts?
- The facts
- The implications
- Change the marketing message to one celebrating diversity and family, not gender stereotypes
- How could retailers capture last minute gift purchases for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day?
- The facts
- The implications
- The convenience of customisation and personalisation of gifts in-store
- Help guide consumers choice
- How can retailers increase in-store spending during spring/summer events?
- The facts
- The implications
- In-store experiences
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Consumer gift spending during spring/summer events worth £3.2 billion
- Food for the home captures the most spending during spring/summer events
- Consumer confidence is strong despite persisting Brexit uncertainties
- Annual spending on retail sales reached £379.6 billion in 2018
- Late falling Easter sees April generate the biggest percentage growth year on year in 2019
Market Size and Segmentation
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- Consumer gift spending during spring/summer events worth £3.2 billion
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- Figure 9: Estimated consumer gift spending on the spring/summer retail events in 2019
- Food for the home captures the most spending during spring/summer events
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- Figure 10: Estimated breakdown of consumer spending on gifts and other products for the spring/summer retail events, 2019
Market Drivers
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- Population
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- Figure 11: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2019-29
- Figure 12: Breakdown of trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2019-29
- Real wage growth and inflation
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- Figure 13: Real wage growth-Average weekly earnings vs inflation, 2016-19
- Consumer confidence holding up despite Brexit uncertainties
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- Figure 14: Consumer financial confidence, January 2017-August2019
Retail Sales Across The Year
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- Autumn largest for seasonal shopping
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- Figure 15: Value of all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by season, 2018
- Retail sales continue to grow in November
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- Figure 16: Value of all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2017-2019
- Grocery sales are high for seasonal events
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- Figure 17: Value of leading category retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2017-19
- Late falling Easter sees April have the biggest percentage growth year on year in 2019
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- Figure 18: Annual percentage change in all retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2017-19
- April sees clothing and footwear peak
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- Figure 19: Annual Percentage change in leading category retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2019
- Spring/summer months in focus
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- Figure 20: Value of retail sales (excluding fuel) at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by spring/summer months, 2017-19
Online Retail Sales Across the Year
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- Autumn season continues to hold the highest share of online retail sales
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- Figure 21: Value of all online retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by season, 2018
- Christmas drives online sales in late 2018
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- Figure 22: Value of all online retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by month, 2018-19
- More online sales are pulled from December into November
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- Figure 23: Online retail sales as a percentage of all retail sales, by month, 2017-19
- Figure 24: Online retail sales as a percentage of all retail sales, by category, by month, 2017-19
- Spring/Summer months in focus
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- Figure 25: Value of online retail sales at current prices, non-seasonally adjusted, by spring/summer months, 2017-19
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Advertising spend edges up 1.2% compared to last year
- Advertising Standards Authority bans ‘harmful’ stereotypes in adverts
- Consumers look for more sustainable and healthier ways to celebrate seasonal events
- Department stores focus on in-store experiences during spring/summer events
- The hunt for personalised Mother’s Day and Father’s Day continues
Launch Activity and Innovations
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- Reimagining the seasonal events
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- Figure 26: M&S Yoga Bunny, 2019
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- Figure 27: Morrison’s unicorn and llama themed Mother’s Day flowers, 2019
- Challenging tradition
- The hunt for ethical consumption
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- Figure 28: Hotel Chocolat’s A Dozen Quails Eggs box, 2019
- Plant based Easter
- In-store experiences to entice shoppers
- Giving Mother’s and Father’s Day gifts that much needed personal sentiment
Advertising Spend Across the Year
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- Advertising spend edges up 1.2% compared to last year
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- Figure 29: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, by month, 2018
- Figure 30: Annual percentage change in total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by all retailers, by month, 2018
- Retailers continue to spend the most in November
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- Figure 31: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers, monthly as a % of total spending,2018
- TV continues to be the channel of choice for advertisers
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- Figure 32: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers, by advertising method, 2018
- Figure 33: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers, 2014-18
- Spring/Summer months in focus
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- Figure 34: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers during the spring and summer months, 2017-19
- Figure 35: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by all retailers during the spring and summer months (March-August), by media type, 2015-19
- Advertising Standards Authority bans ‘harmful’ stereotypes in adverts
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Easter most purchased for spring/summer event in 2019
- In-store purchases of gifts still dominate over online gift purchasing
- Consumers choose to celebrate seasonal events with food and drink
- Traditional chocolate Easter eggs need more variety
- Opportunities for supermarkets to capture last-minute gift purchases
- Mother’s and Father’s Day is a time to spend with family
Who Buys for Spring/Summer Events and What They Buy
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- Easter is the most purchased for spring/summer event
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- Figure 36: Gift purchasing for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
- Just over a half of consumers will buy chocolate as a gift for Easter
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- Figure 37: Gift purchasing for the spring/summer events in 2019, by product category, May-July 2019
- Gift purchasing is highest amongst 16-34 year olds
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- Figure 38: Gift purchasing for the spring/summer events in 2019, by age, May-July 2019
- Socio-economic gap narrows for gift purchasing
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- Figure 39: Gift purchasing for the spring/summer events in 2019, by socio-economic status, May-July 2019
- Most consumers buy one type of gift
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- Figure 40: Repertoire of products purchased for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
How They Buy Gifts and Where They Shop
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- In-store drives gift purchases for the spring/summer events
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- Figure 41: How consumers shopped for gifts for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
- Father’s Day sees the highest online purchases for gifts
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- Figure 42: How consumers shopped for gifts for father’s Day gifts in 2019, by GENDER, July 2019
- Supermarkets are the go-to place for gift purchasing
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- Figure 43: Where consumers shopped for gifts for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
- Department stores see a rise in gift buying for Easter and Father’s Day
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- Figure 44: Gift purchasing for the spring/summer events at department stores, by gender, May-July 2019
- Most will use one type of retailer to buy gifts
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- Figure 45: Consumers who bought a gift from 1 or more types of retailer for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
How Much They Spend on Gifts for Seasonal Events
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- Consumers spent the most on Easter gifts in 2019
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- Figure 46: Average amount spent on gifts for the spring/summer events in 2019, May-July 2019
- For Mother’s Day and Easter gifts males spend on average more
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- Figure 47: Average amount spent on gifts for the spring/summer events in 2019, by gender, May-July 2019
- Father’s buy Mother’s Day gifts on behalf of their children
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- Figure 48: Average amount spent on gifts for Mother’s Day in 2019, by resident parent, May-July 2019
Who They Buy Gifts For on Mother’s and Father’s Day
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- Mother’s Day gift purchasing is driven by female consumers
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- Figure 49: Consumers who bought gifts for Mother’s Day in 2019, by relation, May 2019
- Father’s Day gift purchasing driven by older generation
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- Figure 50: Consumers who bought gifts for Father’s Day in 2019, by relation, July 2019
Easter Activities and Attitudes
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- Food-based activities the most popular way to celebrate Easter
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- Figure 51: Activity participation for Easter in 2019, May 2019
- Shopping the most popular leisure-based activity
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- Figure 52: Consumers who went shopping for Easter in 2019, by generation, May 2019
- Attitudes towards Easter
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- Figure 53: Easter attitudes, May 2019
Types of Easter Eggs and Where They Are Bought
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- Branded Easter eggs are the most popular
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- Figure 54: Chocolate gift purchasing for Easter in 2019, by type, May 2019
- Tesco is the top supermarket for chocolate gifts
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- Figure 55: Chocolate gift purchasing for Easter in 2019, by retailer, May 2019
- Attitudes towards the current variety and offering of the Easter egg
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- Figure 56: Easter shopping attitudes, May 2019
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Activities
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- A home cooked lunch/dinner is the most popular activity
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- Figure 57: Activity participation for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in 2019, May-July 2019
- Going shopping is a popular leisure-activity to celebrate Mother’s Day
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- Figure 58: Consumers who went shopping for Mother's Day in 2019, by age of children, May 2019
- Mother’s and Father’s Day is a time for spending with the family
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- Figure 59: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day attitudes, May-July 2019
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Attitudes
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- Interest in gifting with a personal sentiment
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- Figure 60: Mother’s Day and father’s Day shopping attitudes, May-July 2019
- More pressure for Mother’s Day gift buying compared to Father’s Day
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- Figure 61: Agreement with the statement “There is a lot of pressure to buy the right gift for Mother’s/Father’s Day”, by generation, May-July 2019
- Last minute shopping for Father’s Day gifts and nearly half rely on retailers’ suggestions
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- Figure 62: Father’s Day shopping behaviours, July 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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