Research from social enterprise Give as you Live indicates that ‘Mr and Mrs Average‘ will spend £289 this Christmas with Londoners to be the most frugal region in the UK.
The UK regions spending the most this Christmas will be N. Ireland (£384), North East (£365) and North West (£297), whilst those regions spending the least will be London (£259), East (£260) and Wales (£276).
The study, of 2,000, asked Britons about their spending plans this August and how corporate social responsibility (CSR) can affect consumer‘s perception of retailers.
The Christmas figures show that the 34-45 age group plan to spend the most (£343.65). In the gender stakes, women plan to spend more than men (£294.75 versus £281.17).
Polly Gowers OBE, CEO and Founder of Give as you Live, commented: “Retailers need to be looking for ways in which they can stand out. Our research has proven that CSR and charity donations DO matter to consumers and can make the difference between a lost sale and a satisfied customer.”
Retailers shouldn‘t expect much of their Christmas income to come from the younger generation, who plan to spend just £181.80. However, despite spending the least amount of money on average, the 16-24 age group is the most likely to spend the same amount or more this Christmas compared to last year, with 83 per cent planning to maintain or increase their spend.
The tentative economic recovery is beginning to affect consumers spending habits, with the survey also finding that three quarters will spend the same amount or more this Christmas.
John Lewis, iTunes and ASOS have signed up to Give as You Live, which gives a percentage of every purchase to charity.
