Christmas Shopping 2006 Nordic summary

1. Christmas Shopping 2006Nordic summary • Synovate (Temo, MMI and Vilstrup) and TOY for Nordea • Ingela Gabrielsson 2006-12-07

2. Introduction Most people increase their shopping before Christmas. Christmas gifts accounts for a large amount of this shopping. But who in the household is responsible for the Christmas purchasing? How will purchases be financed and do people try to limit their purchases? How will Christmas be celebrated this year? Those are some of the questions Nordea will get a clearer picture of with this study Target group for the study is people in the age of 16 years or older. The study has been conducted in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark during the same period.

3. Christmas will be spent with the family in Norway and Denmark In what way will you spend Christmas this year?

4. Also in Sweden and Finland people will spend Christmas with family In what way will you spend Christmas this year? Very few people don’t celebrate Christmas at all in the Nordic region (only one or two percent) .

5. Almost everybody in the Nordic region will buy Christmas gifts! Who purchases Christmas gifts this year? Share in each country.

6. Norwegians will spend much more money on average than the rest How much money will be spent on Christmas gifts? (Amount on average in each country) 3 390 DKK (450 Euro) 4500 NOK (540 Euro) 2 900 SEK (320 Euro) 320 Euro Total amount that will be spent on Christmas gifts in each country? (Based on population 16 years and older) 2,4 billion Euro (Population 16 + : Approx. 7,4 million ) 1,4 billion Euro (Population 16 + : Approx. 4,4 million ) 2 billion Euro (Population 16 + : Approx. 4,4 million ) 2 billion Euro (Population 16 + : Approx. 3,7 million ) Almost eight billion euros will be spent on Christmas gifts this year in the Nordic countries.

7. The purchase pattern looks the same in all four countries When do you buy most of your Christmas gifts? Men buy Christmas gifts much closer to Christmas than women do, in all countries.

8. The responsibility for different areas of Christmas shopping falls into the traditional roles for men and women, in all countries Who is mainly responsible for purchasing what?

9. Norwegians and Danes use the credit possibility more How will you finance the purchase of Christmas gifts? *) The figure for credit consist of credit card, credit in the shop, consumption loan in bank and salary account credit in bank. The figure is the net figure of all credit alternatives.

10. Many try to limit their purchases of Christmas gifts Do you try to limit your purchases of Christmas gifts or not? (five degree scale) Swedes try to restrict their purchases, more that the others.

11. Swedes are more likely to buy an “experience” as a Christmas gift Would you or would you not buy an event/experience such as a ticket to an event, journey or similar, as a Christmas gift? (five degree scale) Swedes are more interested in buying events for Christmas presents. People in Norway and Finland are not that interested in this type of present.

12. Swedes are also more likely to buy a mutual fund as a Christmas gift Would you or would you not buy a mutual fund as a Christmas gift (five degree scale) The interest for this kind of Christmas gift is quite low. People in households with higher incomes are more interested than others .

13. People in Sweden and Finland believe Santa Claus will come this year to a larger extent than people in Norway and Denmark Do you believe Santa Claus will come to you this year?

14. Summary • Christmas will be spent with family in all Nordic countries. Between 82 to 92 percent will spend the Christmas with their family. • Almost all buy Christmas gifts in the Nordic region. Between 88 and 94 percent will buy Christmas gifts this year. • Norwegians will spend much more per person than the others on Christmas gifts; 540 Euros compared to people in Sweden and Finland who will spend 320 Euros per person. Danish people will spend 450 Euros on average per person. • About one fourth of all in the Nordic region will start to buy Christmas presents in November. Half of the population will do their Christmas shopping during the first two weeks of December. The week before Christmas about one third of the population in Nordic region will be buying gifts for Christmas. Men buy Christmas presents much closer to Christmas that women. • The responsibility for different areas of Christmas shopping falls into the traditional roles for men and women. • People in Norway and Denmark use credit when paying for the Christmas presents to a larger extent (20-21 percent) than people in Sweden and Finland (10- 14 percent). • Swedes are more likely to buy an “experience” or a mutual fund as a Christmas gift than people in the other Nordic countries are. • People in Finland and Sweden believe Santa Claus will come this year, to a larger extent than people in Norway and Denmark.

15. Facts about the study – Method, size of study and target group Background: Nordea wish to get more information about the Christmas shopping habits in relation to the private economy in the Nordic region. Target group: People in the age from 16 years. The study is representative for almost 20 millon people in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Field: 6th of November - 13th of November 2006 Method: Telephone interviews No. of interviews: In total 4 058 interviews. Approximately 1000 interviews in each country.