A third (34%) of consumers either have or are considering purchasing food and drink for Christmas before the end of October, a recent survey has revealed.
The survey conducted by Lumina Intelligence found that 56 per cent of consumers are somewhat worried following media coverage on people stockpiling food and drinks for Christmas already.
The results show that those in the youngest (18-24) and eldest (65+) age categories are the least likely to be worried about shortages ahead of Christmas, as a result of shoppers stockpiling.
The categories that consumers are most likely to purchase for Christmas before the end of October are:
| Confectionery | 66% |
| Crisps & Snacks | 57% |
| Tinned & packaged products | 55% |
| Alcohol | 55% |
| Soft Drinks | 51% |
| Frozen | 45% |
“Christmas this year will be incredibly different to last, when travel restrictions and last-minute regional lockdowns ended most people’s festive plans. Consumers will be looking to make up for lost time and with no restrictions surrounding gatherings we can expect big celebrations,” commented Blonnie Whist, Insight Director at Lumina Intelligence.
“However, media coverage surrounding product shortages due to the HGV driver shortage, Brexit and Covid is concerning shoppers, with some already stockpiling ahead of Christmas and many more likely to follow suit. Retailers need to be prepared for Christmas preparations to start early this year and should expect a bumper year for sales, but also need to communicate clearly with shoppers to ensure purchasing behaviours do not hit the extremes of April 2020 when the pressures on the supply chain peaked.”
