55.6% of UK consumers surveyed stated that they intend to purchase at least one advent calendar this year, up from 53.4% last year, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

While chocolate advent calendars remain the most popular type purchased, with 73.6% of advent calendar shoppers stating their intent to purchase this product, this is down on last year as consumers purchase more extravagant advent calendars as a way to treat themselves or others ahead of the Christmas festivities.

Zoe Mills, Retail Analyst at GlobalData comments, “With more choice in non-chocolate advent calendars than ever before and these tending to have a much higher price point, a wider range is available tempting consumers and encouraging them to spend more on these products.

IMAGE FOR PUBLICATION: Please click here for chart: ‘Planned average spend on advent calendars and penetration across types UK, 2018 (£)

For retailers considering launching an advent calendar, more focus should be placed on non-chocolate advent calendars, with both beauty and alcoholic advent calendars increasing in popularity this year particularly as more brands and celebrities introduce their own advent calendars. The average spend on advent calendars is also up year-on-year highlighting the boost in sales that advent calendars can provide.

Mills concludes: “Retailers must get ahead of the game early, with 50.8% of advent calendar shoppers stating that they like to purchase these products promptly due to concerns regarding limited availability. For brands the motto must be ‘once they are gone, they are gone’ to encourage impulse purchases and create a sense of exclusivity.”