With Christmas nearly upon us, consumers are making the last of their purchases and getting in the festive spirit. Shoppers continue to feel pressure on their disposable incomes and as a result are making more considered purchases.

Verdict Research is currently running a five wave survey on Christmas spending carried out online with a representative sample size of 2,000 UK consumers per wave. The following data are based on results from the fourth wave which went to field 12th – 18th December 2011.  

Verdict analyst, Carly Syme, explains: ‘Though 6 out of 10 consumers expect to spend more this year, price is still the key consideration when buying gifts, with 64.8% of respondents mentioning it. With squeezed disposable incomes, consumers want to ensure they are getting as much as they can for their money and with such a focus on price through big discounts and promotions offered by retailers, it is not surprising it has come out as the top factor. Wide choice comes in second with 42.9% mentioning it’.

‘Data from our survey shows the majority of consumers (73.0%) will finance their spending through their regular salary – trying to avoid racking up debt over the festive period. While 18.3% of consumers have said they will put some spending on a credit card, this is down from 21.1% last year – highlighting that shoppers are being careful not to overstretch themselves’.