UK economy set for a Merry Christmas as consumer spending soars to £16.5 billion this festive season
A jolly Christmas will cost Britons £614.96 this yea
With 85% of Britons feeling more generous this Christmas, tills will be ringing to the tune of £16.5 billion this festive season, as British households spend an average of £614.96 on Christmas. These findings have been revealed in Travelodge’s annual Christmas report which has been published today.
The consumer study which surveyed the spending habits of 3,000 British adults has revealed that generous Britons are flexing their spending muscles and splashing out an extra £132.59 this festive season compared to 2014. The average British household Christmas bill itemised this year will include:
Presents £394.66
Food & drink £140.05
Decorations £41.75
Travel £38.50
Total £614.96
On average Britons will purchase 14 presents this year (up from 13 gifts in 2014) at an average cost of £28.19, totalling £394.66. The traditional Christmas feast will come in at £140.05, with 60% of shoppers stating that they will be purchasing the majority of their festive food shopping in value brand stores this year.
The report also revealed that during the season of goodwill 54% of Britons will be hitting the roads to spend Christmas Day with family and friends. On average Britons will be travelling 71 miles, spending £38.50 on their yuletide journey.
In addition the study also revealed a growing trend in festive themed short breaks as over a third (37%) of Britons are taking a UK Christmas shopping themed break this year. (In 2014, just 24% of Britons took a festive themed short break). The most popular destinations are London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Oxford, Bath, Lincoln, Newcastle and Glasgow.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “Our 2015 Christmas spending report shows that consumer confidence is returning and it looks like being a Merry Christmas for the economy this year. We are also experiencing this festive cheer, with a double digit sales increase in room bookings from people taking shopping-themed city breaks and looking for a spare room to host visiting family and friends during the Christmas holidays.”
UK Consumer Spending Map
Further research findings revealed that shoppers living in England top the UK spending league table this Christmas with the average spend being £671.52 (up £207.38 from £464.14 in 2014). Nine of the biggest Christmas spending UK cities and towns are located in England.
Topping the league of the big festive spenders are Scousers who are splashing out a whopping £804.36 in a bid to have a Merry Christmas this year. They will be spending on average £561.42 on presents alone. (With an average spend of £31.19 per gift and will be purchasing 18 presents).
In second place are people in Wolverhampton who are spending £734.70 during the season of goodwill. Generosity is running high amongst people in the city as they will be purchasing on average 19 presents – which is more than any other UK location.
Residents of Plymouth take third place in the Christmas spending league table with an average spend of £734.70. Brummies come in fourth place with an average spend of £733.68.
The next biggest-spending UK nation is the Welsh, who will be forking out on average £603.57 to have a “Nadolig Llawen” - This is a £80.64 increase from £522.93 from last year. Wrexhamites (residents from Wrexham) will be spending the most in Wales this Christmas with an average spend of £723.73. Whilst Cardiffians, (residents from Cardiff) will be adopting a more Scrooge-like attitude and will be spending just £423.83 this festive season.
Christmas Scrooges
The lowest spending nations this Christmas are Scotland and Northern Ireland. On average, Scots will spend £592.22 this Christmas, which is up £124.97 from £467.25 in 2014. Of all the cities and towns across the UK, Glaswegians are the thriftiest this Christmas, spending just £383.12, which is £231.84 below the national average.
Other scrooges in Scotland live in Stirling (£437.17) and Dundee (£525.64), with both locations making the top ten lowest spenders league table.
The nation spending the lowest amount overall is Northern Ireland at £544.48 this year, however this is still a significant increase of £77.96 compared to 2014, when people spent an average of £466.52.
See notes to editors for a list of the UK’s biggest spenders.
The study also revealed that seven out of ten adults will start their shopping in November, with Friday 27th and Saturday 28th November 2015 being the two key dates
Ends
For further information:
Please contact the Travelodge press office at: 01844 358 703 or by email at: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk
Notes to editors:
The survey was conducted in November 2015 amongst a sample group of 3,000 adults throughout the UK.
The table below details the spending breakdown for the UK and the UK’s top 10 biggest and lowest spenders
UK Breakdown |
Average total spend for 2015
|
Average spend on food and drink |
Average spend on presents |
Decoration |
Travel |
UK | £614.96 | £140.05 | £394.66 (average of 14 presents costing £28.19 each)
| £41.75 | £38.50 |
England | £671.52 | £137.67 | £449.54 (£32.11 x 14)
| £45.12 | £39.19 |
Scotland | £592.22
| £132.06 | £376.48 (£28.96 x 13)
| £40.75 | £42.93 |
Wales | £603.57 | £153.40 | £384.15 (£25.61 x 15)
| £30.35
| £35.67 |
Northern Ireland | £544.48 | £101.80 | £384.72 (£32.06 x 12)
| £36.16 | £21.80 |
The UK’s biggest spenders this Christmas
City |
Total spend for 2015
|
Average spend on food and drink
|
Average spend on presents |
Decoration |
Travel |
Liverpool | £804.36 | £160.75 | £561.42 (£31.19 x 18)
| £42.19 | £40.00 |
Wolverhampton | £795.96 | £152.28 | £554.61 (£29.19 x 19)
| £44.66 | £44.41 |
Plymouth | £734.70 | £144.51 | £492.00 (£32.80 x 15)
| £55.01 | £43.18 |
Birmingham | £733.68 | £162.01 | £496.20 (£33.08 x 15)
| £39.91 | £35.56 |
Wrexham | £723.73 | £189.23 | £464.66 (£33.19 x 14)
| £36.66 | £33.18 |
Newcastle | £722.51 | £147.25 | £486.56 (£30.41 x 16)
| £52.05 | £36.65 |
Brighton | £711.67 | £154.67 | £468.30 (£33.45 x 14)
| £45.00 | £38.12 |
Leeds | £707.77 | £145.14 | £477.75 (£31.85 x 15)
| £50.55 | £34.33 |
Bristol | £707.19 | £133.07 | £486.72 (£27.04 x 18)
| £42.38 | £45.02 |
Oxford | £702.10 | £153.86 | £464.64 (£33.21 x 14)
| £46.01 | £37.59 |
Lowest spending towns and cities
City |
Total spend for 2015
|
Average spend on food and drink
|
Average spend on presents |
Decoration |
Travel |
Glasgow | £383.12 | £55.38 | £256.75 (£19.75 x 13)
| £36.79
| £34.20 |
Cardiff | £423.83 | £60.65 | £294.60 (£24.55 x 12)
| £34.47 | £34.11 |
Stirling | £437.17 | £79.74 | £284.20 (£28.42 x 10)
| £36.01 | £37.22 |
Sheffield | £455.69 | £77.80 | £303.27 (£27.57 x 11)
| £29.18 | £45.44 |
Southampton | £488.01 | £78.89 | £343.80 (£22.92 x 15)
| £33.22 | £32.10 |
Belfast | £492.97 | £89.13 | £349.50 (£23.30 x 15)
| £35.09 | £19.25 |
Swansea | £493.12 | £103.33 | £330.84 (£27.57 x 12)
| £26.65 | £32.30 |
Bradford | £511.95 | £91.80 | £352.66 (£32.06 x 11)
| £34.43 | £33.06 |
Dundee | £525.64 | £103.42 | £348.60 (£29.05 x 12)
| £38.01 | £34.61 |
Hull | £527.40 | £99.39 | £375.00 (£25.50 x 14)
| £22.11 | £30.90 |