For the first time in the last five years, each Portuguese person is expected to spend 301 euros on Christmas shopping. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by IPAM – The Marketing School, which analyzes consumer behavior during the Christmas season. Christmas spending is expected to increase by more than 10 percent compared to the average value recorded in 2014, which was 279 euros.
It is therefore predicted that in 2015 spending could reach a new high since 2010, the year in which each Portuguese person spent an average of 373 euros. The study carried out by the marketing school highlights another unprecedented finding since this annual study began: more consumers say they will spend more compared to 2014 (18 percent) than those who will spend less (13 percent). Despite the higher cost of gifts compared to recent years, the truth is that most people will limit their gift-giving to their immediate family. Only one in three respondents (34 percent) plans to give gifts to friends. Regarding the choice of gifts, the study confirms what has become tradition: toys (32 percent) for children; clothes and shoes (33 percent) for teenagers and adults.
More Portuguese people are waiting for the sales to buy gifts.
Although shopping malls remain the preferred locations for Christmas shopping, the IPAM study shows that street commerce and the internet are gaining more and more followers: about one in four respondents (22,1 percent) expect to make their purchases exclusively in one of these shopping options. The majority of consumers (81,6 percent) will make their purchases, as is tradition, during the month of December, although 14,4 percent say they will only buy gifts during the sales period, after the holiday season.
