Many consumers this year took a more relaxed approach Valentine’s day this year , with many frugal shoppers deciding to have a night in with their loved one rather than a lavish night out, according to new data.
Data from Bloomreach looked into shopping habits of Briton’s this Valentine’s Day and found that many UK shoppers left it to the last minute it seems with a huge spike between the 12th-13th February with consumers using the ease of mobile to make last ditch purchases.
In 2020, Britons chose Valentine’s Day classics to show their love:
• Lingerie, chocolates and roses top the list of popular items
• Brits ditch restaurants for ‘meals for two’
• Most Britons buy their presents on the 13th February
Surprisingly, shoppers steered clear of jewellery on this occasion, which may be explained by the last-minute planning of most shoppers: Valentine’s Day related searches spiked on the 12th and 13th, with most purchases happening on mobile.
Commenting on the findings, Michael Schirrmacher, UK MD at Bloomreach, said: “It’s interesting to see the shift in focus on what people are looking for this Valentine’s Day. Grocers and supermarkets are among the biggest winners of the season, with spikes in chocolates, wines and meals for two showing a clear appetite for home comforts.”
“Despite a shift from eating out at restaurants and jewellery, Valentine’s Day is a busy time for retailers in the UK, and an excellent opportunity to boost sales following a dreary January period. But with most shoppers leaving their shopping until the night before and classics making their comeback as star products of the season, retailers may want to rethink their promotional campaigns. Brands who truly understand consumers would be advised to create Valentine’s Day specials including food and drinks alongside home comforts.”
“Brands have access to huge amounts of data, from the products that resonate best with their customers to the way their audiences like to shop. This gives them a great avenue to explore the different ways they can use the romantic holiday to boost their sales or reach new customers.”
Bloomreach data was collated over February 2020 using a UK and US data sample.