New research investigating UK household shoppers’ plans for Father’s Day 2019 has been launched by leading retail and shopper marketing agency, Savvy. The findings indicate that UK shoppers’ interest in getting involved stands at 53 percent, with total expenditure on the event forecast to reach £834 million this year.
Alastair Lockhart, Insight Director at Savvy, said: “Father’s Day marks the end to a busy first half of calendar events for retailers, during which we have seen strong growth in events sales, significantly outperforming the overall market. Total spending on Father’s Day celebrations is set to reach £834m in 2019, up by 4.4 percent from the previous year. In line with other events this year we’ve seen discount retailers step up activity and more shoppers turning to social media for gift inspiration.”
Key findings:
- Of the shoppers getting involved in the event:
- 50 percent are male shoppers; 54 percent are women.
- Shoppers aged 18-24 are most likely to getting involved (75 percent) followed by those aged 35-44 (66 percent).
- 54 percent of shoppers in London will be celebrating the occasion compared with 50 percent across the rest of the UK.
- In terms of which of the Big Four retailers’ shoppers will go to for their Father’s Day goods, 60 percent will head to Asda, 56 percent will go to Sainsbury’s, 55 percent to Tesco and 53 percent to Morrisons.
- Among shoppers planning to get involved with Father’s Day:
- Spending more this year is the plan for 40 percent.
- 69 percent agree that they ‘don’t mind spending more’ to make Father’s Day special.
- 75 percent say they consider it a special day with 71 percent citing it being a day which the family spends together. 62 percent also say they look forward to it.
- 65 percent consider Father’s Day products in shops ‘boring’ and lack inspiration – noteworthy that 57 percent say that they would spend more on Father’s Day if better gifts were available.
- 37 percent will be organising Father’s Day gifts that they receive from their children and 44 percent tend to organise Father’s Day presents for others e.g. a partner.
- Shoppers aged in the 18-34 bracket are much more likely to spend more (79 percent), plan (76 percent) and shop online (82 percent) than any other age group.
- The most popular time to celebrate the occasion is in the afternoon – 57 percent, followed by lunchtime – with 52 percent.
- 44 percent plan on eating out this Father’s Day – though this rises to 63 percent for those living in London.
- How Father’s Day shopper’s will be spending:
- 60 percent will be going online to shop for gifts this Father’s Day.
- Buying more expensive food and drinks to celebrate the occasion is on the cards for 44 percent.
- 41 percent will be looking to buy a personalised gift this year.
- Buying Father’s Day gifts and cards at the last minute is the plan for 35 percent.
- Of the gifts shoppers expect to give: A card is by far the most popular purchase (61 percent), followed by chocolates (23 percent) and a book/CD/DVD (20 percent). A meal at a restaurant is on the list for 19 percent, closely followed by the gift of beer – 17 percent. A home cooked meal was the plan for 16 percent. Interestingly grooming products scored 10 percent this year.
- 13 percent don’t expect to give anything this year.
- Shoppers are getting their inspiration for Father’s Day presents from:
- The supermarket which was the go-to place for 51 percent. In second place is Amazon with 45 percent followed by Google, 31 percent.
- Word of mouth via friends and family still plays a key role – 19 percent.
- Pinterest, Facebook and a grocery retailers’ website are sources of inspiration for 13 percent of Father’s Day shoppers (apiece). Instagram lagged very slightly behind with 12 percent.
