There are discounts galore on the high street, and online retailers have also started discounting, but consumers are spending less on Christmas this year.

In November, market research firm GfK's long-running Consumer Confidence Index dropped by three points to -13, as reported by the BBC.

This comes on the back of gloomy news from retailers like Bonmarché, Superdry and Carphone Warehouse, who say that Black Friday sales were poor, and that people haven't been spending as much as they have in previous years.

According to GfK, the number one concern for people in the UK is having enough money to live and pay bills, followed by the NHS. The third biggest concern is Brexit, which leaves people more unwilling than usual to part with their cash.

While the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that wages are continuing to rise at their highest level for nearly a decade, people's real annual wages are actually £800 lower than 10 years ago, according to analysis for the BBC.

In addition, many Brits are also feeling the pinch due to the rising price of groceries and other essentials like energy bills, thanks to inflation and the fall in the pound.

But there's still time for sales to pick in the final few days before Christmas. This year, high street retailers are already cutting prices with over a week to go before Christmas, with many fashion retailers and department stores offering discounts of between 10-30%.

In-store click and collect has become hugely popular, and now makes up one-in-three sales for retailers that have both bricks and mortar stores and online shops. Consumers will order online as late as 23rd December to pick up on Christmas Eve, and many will buy other items while they are in store to pick up their deliveries.

What do you think? Are you spending less this Christmas? Email mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk 

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