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Germans Keep Gift Budgets at €502 as Online Buying Surges, Austria Projects 2% Holiday Retail Lift

Spending plans remain stable despite higher living costs.

Overview

  • Germany’s 2025 FOM holiday survey reports an average €502 gift budget, with more than half of respondents planning to spend about the same as last year.
  • Marked gaps persist: Generation X budgets average €598 versus €270 for Generation Z, and men plan about €590 compared with €416 for women.
  • Gift shopping continues to shift online, with 67% buying on the web overall and 80% of Gen Z and 84% of Gen Y doing so; a separate Idealo/Kantar survey finds a €440 total budget covering six gifts (about €73 each) and 77% mainly purchasing online.
  • Top gift choices include books (64%), travel and leisure activities (51%), and food and delicacies (50%), with presents directed primarily to partners, children, and parents.
  • Austria’s trade group forecasts €7.7 billion in December retail sales including €1.19 billion in Christmas-driven extra turnover, up 2% year over year, while estimating €12.5 billion in e-commerce with roughly 80% of that spend flowing to foreign platforms.