By Ingrid Süßmann
Each year in October and November the Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung (GfK, Society for Consumer Research) conducts a study asking a representative number of Germans between ages 14 and 75 about their holiday gift-giving plans: what and how much they’ll give to their loved ones. Below are the key findings for 2016.Once again, books are the favorite Christmas present this year listed by those surveyed: 38 percent of respondents say they plan to give reading material as gifts and are willing to spend €39 ($US41) in this category. Last year, books were also the favorite present among 37 percent of people, who reported a potential spend of €40.
GfK estimates potential book sales of €953 million from holiday gift givers. If we include gift vouchers—which respondents indicate will be given by 27 percent of gift givers at an average value of €97—revenue from book sales might go up even further. There’s a chance that 2016 holiday book sales will overtake last year’s revenue of €977 million.
Gift voucher spending is expected to increase from €63 million in 2015 to €82 million in 2016. The reason for this, GfK speculates, could have to do with more people giving ebooks as gifts this year.
On average, Germans will spend €280 (just under US$300) on holiday presents this year, which adds up to sales of €14.3 billion.
Next to “real” presents, cash is still king: “Cash will once again be a popular gift. It’s most likely to make the cash registers ring after the holidays,” says Dr. Wolfgang Adlwarth of GfK. He estimates that €3.5 billion will be given in cash this holiday season.
Although books are the overall favorite German Christmas present, there’s a clear bias in who’s buying them: 42 percent of women prefer giving books, while only 33 percent of men do. Also, being “middle-aged” (between 35 and 44 years) makes you more likely to buy books as holiday gifts: 47 percent vs. roughly 35 percent with both the 14-to-24-year-olds and the over-55s.
