LONDON, UK - 4 November 2021 - Research carried out by Momentive (formerly SurveyMonkey), a leader in agile experience management, exploring consumers’ concerns and expectations regarding Christmas shopping and travel plans, reveals that over half (57%) of UK adults don’t plan to travel this Christmas, with a third (31%) cancelling their Christmas plans entirely due to COVID-19 uncertainty and concerns around safety.
Uncertainty causing many to cancel Christmas travel plans
With over 79.2% of the population over the age of 12 having received their second dose of the vaccines, the UK is in a very different situation compared to the lead-up to Christmas 2020. The research shows that the number of people cancelling their plans entirely has halved from last year: 31% in 2021 compared to 63% in 2020. This still accounts for almost a third of people who don’t feel confident that the COVID-19 situation will be safe enough to enjoy the Christmas they had planned. It seems the government’s assurances that the UK will have a “normal Christmas” aren’t translating into increased confidence, with nearly half (47%) expecting to modify their Christmas travel plans, nearly double the 25% from last year. Overall, 38% of Brits do not feel confident that it will be safe to travel during the Christmas period.
Supply chain concerns sparking October Christmas shopping spree
Nearly a third (31%) of UK adults are worried that supply chain issues will affect their Christmas purchases. Concern is greater among younger age groups (18- to 34-year-olds), with 43% saying they are worried, compared with 31% of 35- to 64-year-olds and 17% of 65-year-olds and above. Despite 29% of Brits saying they don’t plan to do any Christmas shopping this year, an equal number (30%) plan to start their Christmas shopping this year in October.
Brits tightening their belt this Christmas
The majority of Brits (83%) plan to spend less or the same amount as last Christmas, when many had pared back or had solitary Christmas celebrations. Over a third (36%) plan to spend less on Christmas in general, with nearly half (47%) planning to stick to their 2020 spending level, and only a minority (13%) plan to spend more.
“The pandemic has highlighted the opportunity for companies to reach consumers in new ways. With supply chain lags and ongoing disruption for the travel industry, it’s critical that organisations ensure they’re offering a great customer experience whether it’s in-store, online or a hybrid of the two,” says Graham Douglas, Managing Director EMEA at Momentive. “By asking what could be improved or what went wrong with a delivery, product, service or interaction, for instance, brands can innovate alongside customer wants and needs to stay competitive.”
Methodology
This Momentive study was conducted between 6 and 19 October 2021 among a national sample of 1,354 UK adults. Respondents for this survey were selected from the more than 2 million people who take surveys on our platform each day. The modelled error estimate for this survey is plus or minus 4 percentage points. Data have been weighted for age, sex, education and geography using the Office for National Statistics’ 2010 Census to reflect the demographic composition of the United Kingdom aged 18 and over.
About Momentive
Momentive (formerly SurveyMonkey) is a leader in agile experience management, delivering powerful, purpose-built solutions that bring together the best parts of humanity and technology to redefine AI. Momentive’s products, including GetFeedback, SurveyMonkey, and its brand and market insights solutions, empower decision-makers at 345,000 organisations worldwide to shape exceptional experiences. More than 20 million active users rely on Momentive for market insights, brand insights, employee experience, customer experience and product experience. Ultimately, the company’s vision is to raise the bar for human experiences by amplifying individual voices. Learn more at momentive.ai.
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