Seasons Greetings!
Whether or not you're able to spend time with your loved ones, I hope you're able to enjoy the festive period to the fullest.
Let's take a look at what we can expect from consumer and shopper behaviour over the next few weeks...
When do we start Christmas shopping?
How much do we spend?
To get you into the spirit, check out my latest blog post to learn 8 Fun Facts about Christmas Shopping!
Stocking up early?
We needed some excitement last Christmas, so the decorations went up a little earlier than usual.
While searches for "Christmas Trees" are down so far year-on-year, we are planning a little earlier when it comes to getting the supplies in.
56% of us claim we are worried about stockpiling and fears of product shortages.
We spent 27% more on frozen poultry in October vs. last year.
It's thought that the supply constraints are encouraging many of us to prepare a little earlier and spread our shopping out.
Early sales of mince pies and Christmas chocolate may tell a different story...are they really going to last until December 25th?
A less socially distanced Christmas?
While we were expecting a more social festive period than last year, the Omicron Covid variant has meant the cancellation of many big events.
52% of UK workplaces have decided not to hold a Christmas office party.
This means all the smaller gatherings in the run-up to Christmas will be much more important to people - a key occasion to dress up and enjoy some great food and drink!
Keep your eyes peeled for the rising categories on Google to find relevant occasions for your category.
Last week's top spot went to gingerbread house kits. A great opportunity for baking and confectionery brands!
christmas.com
The average UK household spends more than £800 extra in December, including a 20% increase in spend on Food and 30% on Alcohol. This makes December by far the biggest month of the year for the FMCG industry.
As we head into a second Christmas under covid, eCommerce is going to play an important role for all that extra spend.
Many shoppers have big concerns about how busy supermarkets will be in the days leading up to Christmas and 40% of us say we'll do our Christmas grocery shop online. There's still time to make sure you're all set to win online this month!
I'll continue looking out for hot topics to update you on in the new year.
In the meantime, if you have a particular challenge you’re trying to deal with going into 2022, get in touch to see how I can help.
Have a wonderful Christmas period and a Happy New Year!
Continue to stay safe, well and positive.
Ella.
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