Among the surveyed Ukrainians, seven out of ten plan to allocate part of their budget set aside for Christmas and New Year celebrations to charity, according to the findings of a Deloitte consulting company study.
“79% of them will support defenders on the front lines. Among the baby boomer generation, 91% will direct funds specifically to assist Ukrainian military personnel,” the study indicates.
At the same time, it is noted that in 2024, respondents prioritize maintaining their budget during Christmas and New Year shopping, as statistically, discounts at the time of purchase or loyalty programs have the greatest influence on their final decision to buy any product during this period.
In this regard, 43% of respondents planned to shop intentionally on "Black Friday" (November 29) and "Cyber Monday" (December 2). Meanwhile, 28% of respondents do not plan to make purchases on these days, as they do not believe in the reality of the discounts offered. Among these consumers, 52% will spend up to half of their holiday budget on charity, 11% will spend more than half, and 4% will allocate their entire budget.
The ranking of popular product categories is traditionally led by food products, alcoholic beverages, and toys, but there has been a decline in purchasing choices—down to 36% from 40% last year. The frequency of food purchases (particularly sweets) has dropped to 75% from 84% in 2023, while the purchase of alcoholic beverages has slightly increased to 43% from 40%, respectively.
“Men, just like women, plan to primarily buy food and alcoholic beverages, as well as toys for children. When comparing the selection of other product categories by gender, the following categories will be more popular among women: clothing and footwear (37%), cosmetics (32%), and household items (23%). Men, on the other hand, prefer clothing and footwear (26%) and household appliances and electronics (26%),” the Deloitte consulting company study states.
Despite a slight decline, the most popular places for holiday shopping remain supermarkets/grocery stores (66% compared to 72% the previous year), large shopping malls (47% compared to 51%), and online stores (38% compared to 40%).
Online shopping via smartphone is preferred by 91% of consumers who use digital tools.
Regarding online platforms, Ukrainians favor mobile applications (37%) and marketplace websites (34%) when choosing their shopping format. Meanwhile, 23% of respondents are willing to use artificial intelligence, 62% prefer "conservative methods," and 15% are still undecided about whether AI can assist them. Deloitte emphasized that the willingness to use AI during holiday shopping decreases with age: from 41% among Gen Z to 13% among baby boomers.
Additionally, 29% of respondents choose payment by bank card through a terminal as the most convenient payment method during holiday shopping, while 31% are willing to use credit funds for their holiday purchases. This payment option is especially popular among entrepreneurs (41%).
Furthermore, 56% of shoppers prefer sellers who offer the option to pay for goods in installments at a zero-interest rate, and 41% of respondents plan to buy products from Ukrainian brands and suppliers during Christmas and New Year shopping.