Valentines Day 2025: How are Britons celebrating?

Valentine’s Day is a chance for Britons to show their love for each other – and a chance for brands to turn that love into sweet, sweet pound coins. But how are the public planning to celebrate this year, and which companies might benefit from it?

YouGov asked the public a range of questions around Valentine’s Day. Some 48% said they felt neutral about it, with the next most common feeling a rather noncommittal “happy to celebrate it” (16%). 14% said they were avoiding it entirely, and just 6% claimed to be excited about it. But that’s just a snapshot of the general public’s feelings. What about coupled up Britons who are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

In terms of celebrations, a plurality of these Britons are planning on staying in (38%), with a quarter planning to enjoy a relaxing day at home (23%). Nearly as many say they plan on a romantic dinner, while 14% intend to spend quality time with friends or family (Galentine’s Day celebrations, perhaps?).

As for where they’re planning to buy, the most popular options are chocolates (12%), followed by flowers (10%), and food (9%). Some of these options are more popular with one gender than another: 18% of men in couples who plan to celebrate plan to buy flowers, for example, compared to just 3% of women. As for where they plan to shop, 43% say supermarkets, 29% online retailers, and 24% cite high street retailers such as M&S or John Lewis. Some 16% plan to use independent boutiques or local shops, and 12% intend to go to specialist gift shops.

But how much are they planning to spend compared to last year? 38% say the same; 25% at least a bit more; and 17% at least a bit less. Those who are looking to save might be availing themselves of some discounts at restaurants and retailers.

So we asked about some of these discounts. Some 35% say they plan to use meal deals and supermarket dine-in deals – which might be especially appealing to the 38% of celebrating couples who plan to stay in, 27% gift discounts, and 17% plan to take advantage of loyalty rewards or special offers.

A further 16% intend to get a cut-rate on exclusive Valentine’s Day experiences, while 14% intend to use BOGOF or multi-buy offers.

When asked which supermarket offers the best dine-in meal deal for Valentine’s Day, just under a third cited that was M&S (31%), with Tesco coming in further behind in second (10%).

Make smarter business decisions with better intelligence. Understand exactly what your audience is thinking by leveraging our panel of 27 million+ members. Speak with us today.