AN ONLINE SURVEY conducted by media planning agency Carat Ireland shows that almost half of people surveyed plan to spend less this Christmas than they did a year before.
The findings shows that this is on a par with similar statements of intent from consumers surveyed in 2011 and 2010, when 50 per cent and 53 per cent respectively had planned to cut their Christmas spending on the previous year. This year, 47 per cent of respondents said they would cut back on last year’s budget for the festive season. They planned to concentrate their spending on food and gifts for their families ahead of socialising or other outlets.
Despite this prudence, a survey by Deloitte showed this week that the Irish are still the highest spenders on Christmas in the EU. Each household here is expected to spend around €965 on the festive season – the EU average is €600.
Carat said that 2012 would be a “very mobile Christmas” with tablet PCs and e-readers the most popular digital devices on respondents’ wish lists to give and to receive. Almost one in ten people surveyed said they planned to gift a tablet computer to a loved one – while six per cent said they would give an e-reader to someone for Christmas.
Three per cent of people hoped to give someone an iPhone for Christmas – but five per cent wanted to receive one as a present. More people wanted to give a friend or relative an Android phone (four per cent) while four per cent actually wanted to receive one. Two per cent of respondents planned to gift an “other” brand of smartphone.
And how do people use their smartphones right now? These were the latest stats:
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