D. Petruzzi
Research expert covering Cosmetics, Personal Care, Health & Hygiene industries.
Christmas gift shopping in France - statistics & facts
The holiday season is characterized by different celebrations, time with loved ones, special dishes and traditions, but also and especially shopping, whether it is for food, decoration, or Christmas gifts. In 2023, total Christmas spending in retail in France was estimated to amount to about 63 billion British pounds, a much higher figure than the forecasts for countries such as Italy or Spain showed. However, in the same year, the percentage of consumers in France who planned to reduce their holiday season spending on non-food goods has increased compared to the year before, one of the reasons being the impact of inflation, which forced a large share of French shoppers to reduce their budget for the Christmas holidays.
Christmas gift shopping in France
For many, the hunt for Christmas gifts already started during Cyber Week, thanks to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. As the budget for Christmas gifts decreased slightly, some opted for second-hand presents, but they are still not considered the norm. In 2023, the most popular product categories in France were toys and games, followed by clothing, and books. This comes as no surprise, considering that these items were also among the most popular during Black Friday.Christmas gift shopping in Europe
The French were not the only ones who planned to reduce their holiday spending in 2023: consumers in other European countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain also stated the same. Despite this, Christmas sales in the United Kingdom were forecast to reach a value of about 85 billion British pounds, up from the previous year. Christmas retail sales in Germany were also expected to experience an increase and add up to nearly 121 billion euros as of 2023. When it comes to Christmas gifts, money, gift cards, cosmetics, clothing, and books were at top of the wish list of consumers in several European countries that year.
