Dinner trumps roses this Valentine’s Day

With over half of the public intending to spend money on a spouse or partner this Valentine’s Day, the BRC, supported by Opinium, has surveyed the public to understand more about how they will be spending their money.

Dining out was the most popular option, with over 1 in 4 people (27%) intending to take their partner out for a meal this Valentine’s Day. This was followed by cards (19%), flowers or drinks out (both 10%), or a trip away (4%), with 11% spending on other gifts.

Younger people were more likely to spend money on their significant other, with 65% of 18-34 year olds saying they would be spending money, compared with 57% for 35-54 year olds, and just 39% of the over 55s. 18-34 year olds were the most likely to do dinner, drinks or trips away, while 35-54 year olds were more likely to give cards, flowers or other gifts.

Other findings included:

·       Men were more likely than women to spend on Valentine’s Day (55% vs 49%)

·       Londoners were the most likely to spend money (64%), with the South West the least likely (39%)

·       When it came to  cities, people near Sheffield were most likely to spend money (65%), while Plymouth was the least likely (30%).

·       Sheffield was the most likely city for spending on dinner (35%) and/or cards (25%), while Belfast was most likely to do drinks out (18%), Southampton was most likely to give flowers, and Manchester was most likely to take a trip away (8%).

Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail Consortium, said:

“Valentine's Day is an important moment for millions of couples. Whether it’s dinner out, or a card and flowers, many lovebirds will be looking to spend a little extra this Friday. Retailers, restaurants and bars have all been preparing for weeks to make sure Valentine’s Day is a little extra special for all their customers.

“It is an important day for the high streets too, with an important spending bump in the week leading up to the big day. So whether it’s chocolates, flowers, or something else, retailers are making sure there is something for everybody this Friday.”