The Gift That Keeps on Giving – Donate Unwanted Gifts This Season

• Research by Oxfam reveals 40%¹ of us receive between one and five Christmas presents we don’t want
• Create Gift Love says 37%² of people keep their unwanted gifts, 37% donate them and 24.38% regift them

A poll by KPMG revealed 17%³ of unwanted gifts are left to gather dust, stored in cupboards. Rather than wait for the New Year spring clean, personal line insurance experts, here at The Insurance Emporium we’re backing UK charities, calling on Brits to declutter their cupboards and wardrobes ahead of the 2024 festive season and donate unwanted gifts to charity.

• Research by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) says the average British consumer expects to spend almost £600 (£593.90)⁴ on core Christmas related products and activities during the 2024 festive season.
• Brits spend £300⁵ on average on presents – the biggest proportion of people’s budgets.
• In 2023, Good Housekeeping’s Cost of Christmas Dinner Price Comparison showed it would cost £33.08 to feed eight people⁶. Despite inflation coming down to 1.7% in September 2024, prices are still increasing meaning the average cost will inevitably be higher in 2024.
• This leaves the remaining budget to cover the likes of Christmas based activities, hotels and travel costs associated with seeing friends and family, and new clothes.

Francis Martin, CEO of The Insurance Emporium, commented: “Christmas is a magical time of year however, we can’t forget that for some, it’s a difficult time, for a variety of reasons. Increasing social pressures driven by influencers on social media can make people feel like they need to overspend at Christmas and could lead to some going into debt.

Thanks to a campaign circulating on social media, people are being encouraged to declutter their homes ahead of Christmas and take in unwanted gifts as well as other good quality items to charity shops. Second-hand giving is perfectly acceptable, especially for children who will appreciate getting into a present quicker without the unnecessary layers of packaging!”

While financial hardship is one reason people might use charity shops for Christmas gifts, those looking to have a circular Christmas might also be driven to shop second hand. A poll by YouGov⁷ revealed 9% of people have given and received second hand presents, while 10% gave second hand presents and 5% received second hand gifts at Christmas.

For further information on The Insurance Emporium, see here: https://www.theinsuranceemporium.co.uk

All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. We will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. We will not be liable for any loss, injury, or damage arising from the display or use of this information. This policy is subject to change at any time.

We offer a variety of cover levels, so please check the policy cover suits your needs before purchasing. For your protection, please ensure you read the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and policy wording, for information on policy exclusions and limitations.