Friday
May 15, 2020

• 42 percent of UK shoppers say they’re spending more money on graduation gifts this year than in prior years.
• More than a quarter of shoppers have already purchased Father’s Day gifts.
• Almost half of female shoppers say in-store safety measures influence their decisions about where to shop, compared to just under a quarter of male shoppers.

Shoppers in the UK are going big on graduation gifts.

Forty-two percent of survey participants in the UK say they are spending more money than usual on graduation gifts. Forty-six percent say they are spending about the same as usual. Only 13 percent say they are spending less. Flowers, books, jewelry, and wine are among some of the most popular gifts that people are buying for new grads.

People are buying Father’s Day gifts ahead of time.

On May 11th, the day after Mother’s day, just 18 percent of people said they had already purchased a Father’s Day gift. Yesterday, that number grew to 28 percent. Some shoppers may be purchasing earlier to make up for obstacles like shipping delays and the inability to visit family in person due to social distancing.

Women are more focused on stores’ safety measures.

We asked shoppers how they will choose where to shop in person in the first month after restrictions are eased. Women prioritized safety measures over all, with 46 percent saying safety would be a focus when deciding where to shop. Only 24 percent of men said safety measures will be a main priority.