More than half of Britons to buy fewer gifts this Christmas, polling suggests
New survey shows just over half of British people are reducing the number of gifts they buy this Christmas.
The Savanta survey found rising prices of household goods have influenced 51 per cent of Britons to buy fewer gifts this year.
The survey of 2,138 adults, conducted online between 12-15 December and commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, found that more than a third of people, 37 per cent, would host fewer or even no guests on Christmas Day.
Meanwhile, 45 percent plan to stay home instead of visiting family or friends to save money.
The Liberal Democrats said the results highlighted a “cost of giving crisis” hit by the ongoing rise in household goods prices.
Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said: “It is demoralizing to think that the Christmas cheer this time around will fade for so many Brits. This Government is allowing a costs crisis to grip our country and refusing to take action to fix it.”
“From buying fewer gifts for loved ones to sadly having to leave family and friends alone for Christmas, the pressure on households will have devastating effects everywhere, especially for those left alone on Christmas Day.
“The Prime Minister must act urgently and implement our proposal to put £270 back into people’s pockets by cutting energy bills and reducing VAT on high street hospitality.”
The survey also found that 45 per cent of Brits plan to reduce their visits to pubs or restaurants this Christmas season, while 55 per cent are shopping at cheaper supermarkets to save money.
Meanwhile, Labor has claimed people are earning an average of £500 more a year since winning last year’s general election, citing the latest pay statistics.
The party compared Office for National Statistics data for average weekly earnings in June 2024, the last full month of the Conservative government, with October 2025.
Under these terms, the annual salary rises from £35,965 in June 2024 to £38,404 this October; Labor claimed workers were on average £516 better off when inflation was taken into account. Labor is currently trying to reclaim the narrative about its record in government.
Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney is said to have met with political staff in recent days to insist that 2026 will be a “proof year” for Labor, according to The Times newspaper.
Commenting on the latest pay data, Treasury Under Secretary James Murray said: “Putting more money into workers’ pockets is a priority for the Labor Government.
“It was always going to take time to fix our economy after 14 years of Tory chaos, but we are reducing inflation thanks to the choices we made in the budget and this week we saw the sixth rate cut since the election, the fastest rate cut in 17 years.
“We know there is more to do. Next year our government will focus on delivering the fairer future we are promised to the British people.”
