As children, we dreamed of a happy and white Christmas, but now, for young and old, the needs and expectations have changed drastically. And this suggests that less than three weeks are left before the holiday, and Western countries are preparing to welcome it, especially for the UK, everything is very difficult. There, people can just dream of… a cheap Christmas. According to Deutsche Welle, prices in the country are rising at the fastest pace in the last 45 years. In fact, inflation reached 16.2% in October, with staples like milk, eggs and spaghetti out of reach, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Against this backdrop, more than half of UK consumers (46%) will cut back on their Christmas shopping this year across the spectrum, from less and cheaper food to less and cheaper gifts.

A study by the British company Which? (a leading UK consumer research company) highlights changes in consumer behavior. Specifically, 41% of consumers will buy fewer gifts this year, 30% will switch to fewer cheaper products, and 23% will stay at home to save money. Even 8% of respondents who said they would spend more money this year said so because of rising prices. This study is in line with recent statements by the CEO of Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain. Ken Murphy, speaking to the BBC, noted that households are already switching to frozen food, replacing expensive fresh food, and at the same time, it seems that the British are reducing their consumption of red meat, in favor of cheaper white meat, such as, for example , chicken. Characteristic of this change is that the search for frozen food on the Tesco supermarket website has increased by 40% compared to the previous year. “It is inevitable that people will lose more money during this period, but they will do it in other ways, and the change in their consumer behavior means that they are now much more strict with their money,” he adds.

It’s true that the rising cost of living has given Christmas a very different perspective this year, despite being the first free holiday season since the pandemic. Most Britons are unable to meet other more basic obligations, largely due to skyrocketing heating and electricity prices. And polls, which are conducted almost every day, reveal the problem. The aforementioned study by Which? showed that 2.2 million households in the country were either past due or in default on their mortgages, rents and bills, highlighting the UK’s financial problems and serious concerns.