British shoppers plan to spend just four per cent less per person compared to last year, despite rising cost pressures, as the lure of festive bargains means retailers are forecast a busy end to 2022.
New research from Barclaycard Payments shows that the average shopper intends to buy £229 worth of items in the post-Christmas sales period, a reduction of £18 compared to 2021’s figures.
Boxing Day remains the most popular day to start post-Christmas sales shopping, with half (47 per cent) of Brits planning to make purchases either online or in-store today. Meanwhile, 46 per cent intended to begin on Christmas Eve and 38 per cent said they would start yesterday, on Christmas Day itself.
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Technology, food and drink top shopping lists
Personal technology items are most sought after among sales shoppers (42 per cent), with more than double the number of bargain hunters looking for deals in this sector compared to 2021 (18 per cent). Food and drink (41 per cent) and household technology items (32 per cent) are also popular. Meanwhile, demand for homewares (19 per cent) and beauty items (15 per cent) has declined year-on-year among sales shoppers.
| Item | Post-Christmas sales shopping list 2022 (%) | Post-Christmas sales shopping list 2021 (%) | 2022 vs 2021 change |
| Personal technology | 42 | 18 | +133% |
| Food and drink | 41 | 25 | +64% |
| Household technology | 32 | 19 | +68% |
| Kitchen electronics | 31 | 21 | +48% |
| Fashion | 30 | 31 | -3% |
| Homewares | 19 | 24 | -21% |
| Beauty | 15 | 24 | -38% |
Reselling sites take centre stage
With additional cost pressures this year shoppers intend to turn to reselling sites to offload unwanted festive gifts, as well as to snap-up bargains. Three in 10 (28 per cent) plan to put Christmas presents they receive this year on reselling sites, and of those almost two thirds (63 per cent) will do so as early as Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Luxury food and drink (66 per cent) and personal technology items (41 per cent) are the most likely to get promptly listed for re-sale.
More than eight in 10 (84 per cent) resellers plan to capitalise on people looking for unwanted gifts and more than a third (36 per cent) will use the listing of gifts as a way to stave off boredom over the Christmas period.
The buyer market for second hand products is also growing, with 41 per cent of shoppers browsing reselling platforms over the festive period in a bid to bag a bargain. The most in-demand items include luxury food and drink (69 per cent), personal technology (49 per cent), household technology (46 per cent), kitchen electronics (29 per cent) and fashion items (27 per cent).
Eight in 10 (81 per cent) are browsing sites to seek deals on unwanted Christmas gifts, while for 56 per cent the rising cost-of-living means they are browsing pre-loved items more than they otherwise would.
Christmas sales become environmentally conscious
Consumers also plan to shop more mindfully in the post-Christmas sales, with half (50 per cent) making a conscious effort to buy fewer plastic-based goods, up from 26 per cent in 2021. One in two (52 per cent) are also planning to reduce the number of fast fashion purchases they make compared to last year (27 per cent), while 43 per cent plan to shop in-person at this year’s post-Christmas sales in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of their purchases.
Two in five (40 per cent) will buy from retailers they feel are seeking to reduce their impact on the environment, and one in two is (51 per cent) making a conscious effort to support local and smaller businesses in the post-Christmas shopping period, up from 22 per cent in 2021.
Free delivery and forward-planning
Brits are also more likely to shop online with retailers that offer favourable delivery and return options. Almost two thirds (63 per cent) will only make a purchase if they’re offered free delivery, and almost half (48 per cent) will only buy an item if it comes with the option of a free return.
Sales shopping with upcoming events in mind is also proving popular; a quarter (24 per cent) are on the lookout for birthday presents, one in five (18 per cent) for anniversary gifts, and one in eight (16 per cent) for items to use during celebrations on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.
Post-Christmas crunch
Four in 10 (42 per cent) respondents said rising living costs will impact their ability to shop in the post-Christmas sales and, of that group, 62 per cent plan to spend less in the sales than they usually would. Consumers also noted they’ve held off treating themselves, family and friends over the past few months and are using the post-Christmas sales to make up for it (30 per cent).
Of those who said rising living costs would impact their spending ability in the post-Christmas sales, 27 per cent are using the festive period to stock up on essential items only – with clothing (10 per cent) and necessary food and drink (8 per cent) cited as their most likely purchases.
With this Christmas the first in three years that Brits have not been separated by Covid-19 restrictions, Boxing Day remains a day for family fun as well as shopping with half (50 per cent) spending time at home with their loved ones. Four in 10 (43 per cent) intend to watch Christmas television and films on Boxing Day, 34 per cent will go for a family walk and 15 per cent plan to visit the local pub.
Harshna Cayley, Head of Online Payments, Barclaycard Payments, said: “The rising cost-of-living and inflationary pressures have naturally had an impact on the amount being spent in the post-Christmas sales this year. Having said that, retailers can take confidence knowing that shoppers still plan to make the most of the deals and discounts on offer.
“One trend that has emerged this year is the rising popularity of reselling sites. Many consumers intend to make the most of these platforms by adopting a love-it or list-it approach to Christmas gifts they receive, while also searching them to snap up ‘second-hand,’ unloved bargains. It will be interesting to see how sales volumes to these sites are impacted as cost conscious shoppers make use of them.”
Harry Wallop, Retail Expert and Commentator, said: “The increased use of reselling sites this festive period makes perfect sense, and is proof that more Brits are thinking about the environment, as well as facing pressures on their personal finances.
“Given the tough economic backdrop, reselling unwanted items can put a bit of money back into people’s pockets and is a more conscious way to shop – reducing waste and helping other shoppers snap up bargains at a price they wouldn’t be able to get elsewhere.”
