Eleven billion euros. That’s how much Italians will spend on Christmas presents this year according to. According to forecasts, three out of four Italians will wrap a gift, with an increase in the percentage of those who will make Christmas purchases compared to 2023: 79.9% compared to 73.2% last year. Grandparents and women are the biggest spenders and clothing and accessories are the number one choices. Online dominates again this year.
According to a Facile.it survey (EMG Different research institute), Italians will spend on average 256 euros each for gifts to put under the tree. But the picture that emerges from the survey highlights changes in consumers’ spending habits and desires. The differences in available budgets are significant. Women say they spend more on average than men, with a figure of 298 euros compared to 213 euros for men. The most generous are the grandparents, those over 65, who invest on average 373 euros. From a territorial point of view, the North West records the highest expenditure (276 euros), while the North East comes in last place with an average of 221 euros. In Central Italy the average is 253 euros, while in the South and in the Islands it reaches 262 euros, with greater enthusiasm for the most expensive gifts.
Therefore, gifts are not given up, even if 6.2 million Italians declare that they intend to reduce the budget for gifts compared to 2023. Among these, 47% cite the increase in costs of essential goods and services as the main cause. Few (1%) but there are those who turn to a personal loan in order to have parcels under the tree. Compared to 2023, the percentage of Italians who managed to save something during the year decreases: 64% compared to 72.6% last year (Confcommercio-Imprese per l’Italia survey).
What will you buy and how? According to a Zalando survey conducted by YouGov, Italians’ favorite gifts are clothing and accessories, chosen by 59% of those interviewed. Followed by beauty products and perfumes (50%) and books (41%). Technology stops at 35%, while toys reach 33%, and food products stand at 29%. Among young people under 35 a different trend emerges, with 25% preferring to give experiences or trips as gifts. Young people, therefore, give intangible and personalized gifts.
E-commerce dominates again this year, with 74% of shoppers choosing online channels for their purchases. The possibility of accessing a wider range of products (42%) and finding competitive prices (37%) drives this choice. However, physical stores remain popular for the possibility of touching the products first hand (28%) and for experiencing the Christmas atmosphere (16%).
And then there are the gifts for yourself. Around 1 in 3 Italians intend to buy a special outfit for the holidays. Among the most popular purchases are clothing (55%), accessories (30%) and shoes (21%). The expense for the Christmas look is concentrated between 50 and 200 euros. It is therefore clear that, despite the increase in the cost of living, Christmas gifts remain an essential expense.
