Hotel Chocolat reports sales uptick - Are Brits thinking chocolates for gifts ahead of the holidays?

Following a year of declines in sales, and losses, luxury chocolate retailer Hotel Chocolat says it is “on the front foot” ahead of Christmas. Despite reporting a 10% dip in revenue, the chocolatier says UK store sales are up 8% as it rolls out its 12 new experience-led stores. However, sales from digital and wholesale are down 24%.

Just ahead of the holiday season, we look at YouGov data to see if chocolate is high up on the list of items Brits might consider as gifts.

A recent survey conducted by YouGov for The Grocer revealed that three in five (60%) consumers in Great Britain bought branded chocolate and sweets earlier this year, while 9% did not buy chocolates or sweets at all. This, despite the cost-of-living crisis influencing consumers’ purchase decisions across categories.

Further, data from YouGov Profiles - which covers demographic, psychographic, attitudinal and behavioral consumer metrics - reveals that 59% of British adults generally buy food and drink items like chocolates, sweets and wine as gifts. Over two in five (42%) consumers opt for vouchers and gift cards, while over a third (35%) choose clothes/shoes/bags.

Health and beauty products (34%) and toys and games (32%) wrap up the top five items Britons generally favor when shopping for gifts.

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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for Great Britain is nationally and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.

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