Santa Claus could already be looking forward to a nice gift for retailers on December 6th.
In the run-up to St. Nicholas Day, retailers can expect additional sales of just over one billion euros, the German trade association announced on Wednesday. The HDE refers to a population-representative survey carried out on its behalf by the IFH Cologne, in which 500 consumers took part.
The billion-dollar sales would be a significant increase compared to the pre-Corona year 2019, because at that time the retail sector recorded sales of 860 million euros during St. Nicholas Day. The main reason for the predicted increase is the significant increase in the number of respondents who are specifically looking for gifts for a special occasion. According to the survey, this number was 26 percent of respondents in 2019, while this year the figure is more than 37 percent. In terms of spending, almost two thirds of those surveyed want to keep their spending stable compared to the previous year.
However, clothing retailers are not necessarily benefiting from the increase in planned Santa gifts and the forecast increase in sales. Food, toys, perfume, cosmetics, books and stationery are particularly popular for the pre-Christmas holiday.
“Customers buy everything that fits into Santa’s boots,” says HDE managing director Stefan Genth. “Confectionery is particularly in demand.”
