Think you’re a great gift giver? Research shows you may be missing the mark!

1 in 5 Brits has had to resort to donating unwanted presents to charity*. With the average UK adult reportedly spending upwards of £400 buying 32 gifts each year, missing the mark could be costly – especially in times when every penny counts. Floral wholesaler Atlas Flowers spoke to over 1,000 people across the UK to find out what gifts they actually like to receive.

The most popular gifts to receive according to survey respondents were money/vouchers (58.3%), an experience (29.4%), and flowers (27.4%).
Virgin Experience Days reported an 83% search increase in 2022 following a rise in interest for experience gifts post-pandemic**.
Letterbox flowers are already experiencing an average of 24k monthly searches in the UK alone, compared to 11k monthly searches for experience gifts.
Where we are missing the mark

Both jewellery and fragrance are among the best-loved gifts, and despite being seemingly traditional choices, we are not gifting them nearly as much as they are wanted. Similarly, we don’t seem to think of experiences as go-to presents, even though most of us love receiving it as a present. Though, we must note that women are doing their part to close this divide, as they are twice as likely to choose experiences as gifts than men.

An experience – 29.4% love to receive vs 13.7% love to give
Fragrance – 26.8% love to receive vs 13.3% love to give
Electronic items – 15.8% love to receive vs 5.2% love to give
Jewellery – 22.6% love to receive vs 12.6% love to give
Money or vouchers – 58.30% love to receive vs 50.40% love to give
The gifts we love to give

Asking the nation which kinds of gifts they most often purchase for their loved ones revealed that Brits are still opting for more traditional choices. Coming in on top we have money or gift vouchers, which over half of Atlas Flowers’ survey respondents choose to give. Over a quarter of participants also revealed they give flowers as gifts, whilst 20.6% give wine.

Top 5 gifts we love to give:

Money or vouchers – 50.4%
Flowers – 28.5%
Wine – 20.6%
Food – 15.2%
Clothing – 14.7%
The gifts we love to receive

How do the items most frequently given as gifts compare to what Brits really want to receive? Well, it seems like we’re doing something right, as also topping the list for receiving is money/vouchers at 58.3%. Likewise, flowers remain a popular gift to receive with over a quarter (27.4%) of participants hoping to be given a bouquet or floral present this year.

Top 5 gifts we love to receive:

Money or vouchers – 58.3%
An experience – 29.4%
Flowers – 27.4%
Fragrance – 26.8%
Wine – 22.8%
Making the sustainable choice

Missing the mark on gift-giving can be disappointing, but it can also be wasteful. With over 81% of Brits reportedly making lifestyle changes in an effort to be more sustainable, it is worth considering the carbon footprint of your gift.

“When it comes to gift giving, it might be time to think back inside the box, as traditional gifts such as flowers and money/vouchers are still just as popular compared to less conventional options.” Atlas Flowers’ Marketing Manager, Kate Blott, says.

“However, the carbon footprint of a gift like flowers can add up when you take into account the process of growing and storing to importing and transporting.” She adds. “This is why options such as dried or preserved flowers can be a more sustainable choice in the long run, elongating the lifespan of any one bouquet.”