Hidden £3.2bn Christmas shopping bill
AROUND £3.2bn is spent nationwide on the hidden costs of Christmas shopping trips, according to research.
A study commissioned by MasterCard Prepaid suggests the extra costs associated with Christmas shopping trips, such as unplanned purchases, are tempting consumers on to the internet instead. MasterCard Prepaid’s Christmas Spending Survey reveals that consumers are shelling out on average an extra £84 per shopping trip, which amounts to £3.2bn nationwide. Over half of adults (55 per cent) who go Christmas present-buying splash out on unintended impulse purchases for others, while 45 per cent buy extra items for themselves. Matt Lanford, head of Prepaid Europe, said, “With budgets squeezed this Christmas it’s no wonder that people are avoiding unnecessary costs by going online to buy presents.”