When the boots are filled on the morning of St. Nicholas Day, children’s eyes shine in many places. A third of consumers in Germany are planning purchases on the day this year, as a survey by the IFH Cologne on behalf of the German Retail Association (HDE) shows. However, more than a quarter (27 percent) of them want to spend less than in the previous year. A good 60 percent are sticking with their current budget, 12 percent are planning higher expenses.
Retailers are expecting additional sales of over one billion euros this year for St. Nicholas Day – 0.2 percent more than last year. According to the survey, the most popular gifts include books, stationery, clothing items, perfumes and cosmetics, and flowers.
“St. Nicholas Day is an important part of the Christmas business and stimulates sales every year,” emphasizes HDE Managing Director Stefan Genth. For the survey, the IFH Cologne surveyed around 1,000 people in Germany between the ages of 18 and 69.