Brits are set to purchase close to 12m subscriptions this Christmas in a £680m boost to retailers, according to new research conducted by Opinium for Acquired.com, a next generation payments business focused on recurring commerce.
Those planning to gift a subscription this Christmas will purchase 3.5 on average, with 69 per cent of all subscription gift-givers planning to give more than one, and a third (30 per cent) giving 5 or more.
The average expected spend on each subscription gift this Christmas is £58 – with men typically spending more than female gift-givers, splashing out £60.20 on average compared to £54.80 for women. More generally, one in three Brits (37 per cent) expect to spend £50 or under per subscription gift, with over half (55 per cent) planning to pay more than £50 across the course of the subscription.
Most popular Christmas subscription gift categories this year
| Subscription | Most popular subscription gift purchases this Xmas |
| Subscriptions relating to hobbies (e.g. gaming, DIY, craft kits) | 26 per cent |
| Magazine or newspaper (digital or print) | 26 per cent |
| Beauty subscription (e.g. makeup, male grooming, skincare or haircare boxes) | 22 per cent |
| Food or drink (e.g. meal kits, wine clubs) | 20 per cent |
| Sports/fitness (e.g. Strava, gym membership, Runna, Peloton) | 20 per cent |
| TV streaming services | 18 per cent |
| Music streaming services | 18 per cent |
| Wellness (e.g. wellness boxes) | 17 per cent |
| Books (digital or print) | 14 per cent |
| Flowers (e.g. monthly bouquet) | 12 per cent |
| Other | 4 per cent |
Greg Cox, CEO and Founder of Acquired.com commented: “Gift-giving is a very personal experience. While some may prefer to give physical presents, it can be challenging to find that special something, and subscription gifts are a great alternative. As a shopper, you can easily find a gift with a personal connection to the recipient, whilst also avoiding the crowds and the stress of shopping in person. For those who are experience-seeking or sustainability-minded, subscriptions often feel both more intentional and less wasteful. Win-win.
But what excites me most, is the significant new opportunity subscriptions present to businesses. As we all adapt to this fast-growing market segment, festive or limited-edition subscriptions can be a great way to test the market, strengthen customer loyalty, and scale recurring revenues”.
Share