The Tesco Christmas Rep or t 2019

H E L P I N G T H E N AT I O N C E L E B R AT E C H R I S T M A S F O R 1 0 0 Y E A RS

Alessandra Bellini,TESCO CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER

Christmas is famed for being a time when we enjoy traditions – both cultural

and family-based ones - but here at Tesco, as we mark 100 years of delivering

Christmas, we also recognise that the past century has been one of change when

it comes to the way the nation celebrates the season. In December 1919, Britain

was living under wartime austerity with Christmas dinner more likely to feature

wild hare or pheasant than turkey. Fast forward 100 years to the launch of the

second Tesco Christmas Report and topical issues of the day continue to influence

how we come together to celebrate.

In recent Christmases, we’ve seen the rising popularity of online shopping,

a move towards plant-based meals, a new-found love for the novelty Christmas

jumper and even pets being given a seat at the festive table.

As 2020 approaches, we can expect our Christmases to continue to change.

Our report explores how we are celebrating Christmas with the jollity that the

season deserves while being considerate about how we shop, what we eat, drink

and gift friends and family. Our findings reveal that ‘conscious celebrations’ are

the order of the day, with 38 percent of people saying that efforts to be more

sustainable will impact their choices this year. 75 percent of people say they’ll

cut down on food waste, 29 percent will buy fewer gifts and another 23 percent

say they’ll eat less meat this Christmas.

In fact, only half of the nation are expected to tuck in to turkey on 25 December,

down 13 percent compared to last year’s findings and echoed by a 3 percent

drop in sales of the bird at the tills in 2018 in favour of smaller joints and alternative

meats like chicken. Also, more of us will be having greener plates this year with

a fifth of Christmas hosts (21 percent) catering for vegetarians and vegans – up 3

percent compared to last year’s report.

Our Tesco Christmas Report illustrates how Christmas celebrations continue

to evolve through the food and drink we gather around at this most special time

of the year. But no matter what the next 100 Christmases bring, Tesco will be on

hand with inspirational products to help you celebrate the season.

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S F R O M A L E S S A N D R A B E L L I N I ,C H I E F C U S T O M E R O F F I C E R

FACTS AND FIGURESThis report uses Tesco sales data from purchases compared to the same period year on year unless otherwise stated. It also uses Opinium research for the period 30 October to 1 November 2019, pulling a nationally representative sample of 2,010 people.

1

2019 marks 100 years of Tesco delivering Christmas and a century of change in the way the nation celebrates the season. From the end of the First World War and rationing, to today’s changing attitudes towards meat versus plant-based diets, Christmas has come a long way.

1 0 0 Y E A RS O F T E S C O D E L I V E R I N G C H R I S T M A S

1919Jack Cohen, the founder of Tesco,

began selling surplus army groceries

on a barrow in London’s East End.

1940sWartime food rations were in full effect

at Christmas, but vegetables remained

un-rationed. ‘Mock goose’ was the dish

of the day, made from layers of potatoes

and apples, flavoured with sage and

sprinkled with cheese.

2019New Tesco loyalty subscription

service launches. Tesco Clubcard

Plus gives shoppers more

opportunities to save at Tesco.

1960sTurkey becomes a popular

Christmas dinner table main.1982Christmas is made easy as checkouts

are computerised at Tesco.

1990sThe ‘90s saw several innovations

launch at Tesco, including Tesco

Clubcard, benefitting shoppers

throughout the year. In 1998,

Tesco Finest was introduced,

the first premium own-brand

supermarket label.

2017Tesco becomes the first supermarket

to create a designated area for drinks

that are alcohol-free or less than 0.5%

ABV across the UK after seeing a rise in

demand for ‘no and low’ drinks.

1957Tesco began selling fresh meat

in-store, coinciding with the

first mention of pigs in blankets

in a Betty Crocker book. Now

the trimming is the nation’s

most-loved side with sales up

5 percent year on year.

1924Tesco starts selling

its first own-brand

product, tea.

1929The first Tesco store

opened in Burnt Oak,

North London. Today there

are more than 3,900 stores

across the UK.

1984Jane Snowball makes history

by placing the first online order

with Tesco using Teletext.

2007Tesco offers shoppers a Christmas

dinner for a family of four for just

£7.93. The low price included a

traditional dinner of turkey, stuffing,

potatoes, sprouts, carrots, gravy,

Christmas pudding, custard, and

mince pies for less than the price of

two portions of fish and chips.

2012Tesco launches ‘Easy Entertaining’,

its online party food service to help

Christmas hosts put on the perfect

festive gathering.

2000sIn 2000, the Tesco Christmas shop goes online

with the launch of www.tesco.com. In 2001,

Tesco’s own-brand clothing label Florence and

Fred (F&F) launches, giving Brits a chance to

buy their festive outfits at Tesco.

2

Hope for the high street?Despite a nervousness surrounding the health of Britain’s high streets, this year nearly two thirds of the nation (63 percent) will head in-store to do their main Christmas food shop. This comes as 1.3 million fewer people will do their shop online (down from 16 percent to 14 percent) - potentially indicative of a wider trend as people become more aware of a need to support retailers.

The over 55s are most likely to do their main Christmas shop in-store, 21 percent more than those aged 18-34 years old (73 percent vs 54 percent). But why is this? Well, a quarter (25 percent) of 18-34-year-olds say it’s because it allows them more time to celebrate.

People in Cardiff (80 percent) and Plymouth (78 percent) top the UK with the most people heading in-store while people in London (19 percent) and Yorkshire (18 percent) are among those looking forward to a Christmas of digital convenience, preferring to shop online. And a larger number of online shoppers say they’ll spend more on Christmas this year than those shopping in-store (30 percent vs 20 percent).

About 1 in 10 (9 percent) plan to eat out on Christmas Day – that’s a 50 percent increase on last year (9 percent vs 6 percent), with 18-34-year-olds nearly twice as likely to eat out at a restaurant on Christmas Day compared to those aged 55 and over (12 percent vs 7 percent).

Feeling flush and festiveWhile nearly two thirds (60 percent) of Brits expect to spend the same amount of money as last Christmas, nearly a quarter (23 percent) plan on spending more in 2019. The average adult is set to spend an extra £84.70 this year on food and drink, decorations and gifts compared to last year, with Glaswegians planning on going all out and spending the most (£106.90). Of those splashing the cash, 29 percent say they’ll spend more than £100 extra this year. Men are also set to spend more than women, but only by £20.10 overall. When looking at age, the younger generation will splash more cash with two fifths (40 percent) of those aged 18-34 planning to increase their spending in 2019; that’s more than double that of those aged over 55 (16 percent) planning on doing the same.

Homemade traditional Christmas cake was the most popular recipe on Tesco

Real Food, accessed 94,000 times in the lead up to

Christmas in 2018

+£106.90

+£101.90

+£99.70

GLASGOW

LONDON

CARDIFF

UK’s biggest Christmas spenders

Brits intend to cut back on gifts this year to save money

1/5of 18-34-year-olds will wait for the sales to do the bulk of their Christmas shopping64%

Britain’s bargain huntersTwo in five Brits (41 percent) say they’ll wait for promotions and sale events to do the bulk of their Christmas shopping in 2019, with men more than twice as likely to do so than women (18 percent vs 8 percent).

Londoners are the thriftiest, with three quarters (74 percent) of those from the capital admitting that they’ll wait for the sales versus just a fifth of people in Norwich (22 percent) and Brighton (23 percent).

UK’s biggest Christmas savers

BRIGHTON

SOUTHAMPTON

28%

25%

In 2018, a typical Christmas dinner cost

£28.66 with the average Christmas shop

costing £74.16

What do people plan to cut back on?Spending more this year

Kids’ stockings are set to be fuller as 16 percent plan on spending more on them this Christmas

At the dinner table, Brits will spend more on alcohol and the trimmings to accompany the

traditional roast (both 12 percent)23%DECORATIONS

17%CAKES & TREATS

17%ADULT GIFTS

In 2018, Brits visited a Tesco store on average 6.12 times in the four weeks leading up to Christmas.

When looking for cooking inspiration, a third of Brits (35 percent) will head online, rocketing to 60 percent for the younger generation (18-34). Londoners are six times more likely to log on to YouTube for Christmas

recipe ideas than the average Brit (60 percent vs 10 percent), which can result in a number of very modern cooking problems. Top complaints expected in Christmas kitchens this year include having to constantly unlock

their mobile devices to view the recipe (38 percent), screens being covered in sticky food mess (23 percent) and mobile device batteries dying mid-cooking (14 percent). What’s more, about 1 in 10 Brits (9 percent) say

they are most frustrated by their voice-activated smart device telling them the wrong measurements.

However, these will not be issues for 21 percent of Brits who rely on the traditional cookbook.

B R I T S W I L L H E A D T O T H E W E B F O R C O O K I N G I N S P I R AT I O N B U T

G A D G E T S A R E S E T T O F RU S T R AT E

Creativ ity in the k itchen: Which generation is making their Christmas recip es up?

21%55+

18%35 - 54

8%18 - 34

Tesco Finest Christmas Fruit Cake 3

G O O D N E W S F O R T H E H I G H S T R E E T A S F E W E R P E O P L E S E T T O D O

C H R I S T M A S S H O P P I N G O N L I N E T H I S Y E A R

Turkey remains king of the Christmas dinner and the most popular choice, with half of us (51 percent) expecting to tuck in to the traditional bird this year. However, this is 13 percent less than Tesco reported last year as chicken (9 percent), beef (7 percent) and veggie and vegan centrepieces (7 percent) become more popular.

For the over 55s, turkey is the top choice at Christmas (62 percent). However, pork will prove more popular than chicken and beef amongst 18-34-year-olds, with 14 percent planning on enjoying ham, belly of pork or gammon this year.

Most essential vegetables on the Christmas dinner plate:

When it comes to cooking all our festive vegetables, it’s nearly an even split. 38 percent will serve them soft to the bite while another third (32 percent) say they’ll have them al dente. 1 in 10 people in London (14 percent) and Norwich (10 percent) admit to liking them mushy, while a sixth of people in Norwich say they are set to enjoy their festive veg fried.

Veggie/Vegan 6% Duck/Goose 4%Pork 6%

Beef 7%Turkey 51% Chicken 9%Other 16%

What we’ll be eating for Christmas dinner this year...

What else are we eating?The average Brit is set to enjoy two Christmas roast dinners across the festive season, rising to three amongst 18-34 year olds. However, the format of the Christmas meal is changing. This year, a third of us won’t have a starter (34 percent). For those that are, seafood is set to be the catch of the day with prawn cocktail (14 percent), lobster, crab or prawns (10 percent) and smoked salmon canapés in the top three. Generationally, those aged over 55 are twice as likely not to have a starter than those aged 18-34 years old (39 percent vs 22 percent).

For the love of sproutsThere’s good news on sprouts as more Brits (53 percent) say they love them than hate them (20 percent) and two thirds (63 percent) of us think they’re an absolute essential on the Christmas dinner plate.

Northern Ireland has the most sprout lovers in the UK with 3 in 5 people (67 percent) admitting to adoring the divisive vegetable. That compares to over a quarter (26 percent) of those in Newcastle who hate them. Though it seems the older you are, the more you like them - less than half (45 percent) of 18-34-year-olds love sprouts compared to 59 percent of over 55s.

Surprisingly, about 1 in 5 (21 percent) Londoners are set to tuck in to turkey this year - the lowest in the country. Chicken is the capital’s second favourite (17 percent), and pork will prove popular too, with a sixth of Londoners (15 percent) saying it’ll be on their plate on the 25th. In fact, more Londoners are set to feast on turkey on Boxing Day (46 percent) than on Christmas Day itself.

In 2018, Turkey sales declined by 3% as shoppers opted for smaller joints and

other meats. Fish was the big winner, gaining 380,000 extra shoppers

Kate Ewart, Product Development Director, Tesco

In 2018, Brussels sprout sales were down by 10%

compared to the previous year. Yet according to our

research, they will be making a comeback this year, with

more people planning on eating them this ChristmasKate Ewart, Product Development Director, Tesco

63%sprouts 36%

peas

61%carrots

53%parsnips

Tesco Finest British Free Range Bronze Whole Turkey 4

T U R K E Y S E T T O R E TA I N T H E C H R I S T M A S C RO W N B U T H A L F T H E N AT I O N

W I L L G O F O R A N A LT E R N AT I V E I N 2 0 1 9

G R E E N E R C H R I S T M A S P L AT E S A R E H E R E T O S TAY

The top reasons for catering for alternative diets include:

57%to cater for guests with specific dietary needs

21%for health reasons

19%prefer the taste

13%cooking time as

turkey takes too long

11%ethical reasons

16%Mint

22%Bread

45%Cranberry

69%Gravy

Top sauces on the Christmas dinner plate in 2019:

South East takes top pigs in blanket towns crown:How many packs of pigs in blankets towns in Essex bought...

Pitsea 12,309 Cheshunt 11,652 Romford 11,652

Southend 11,173 Sunbury 9,549

Sauces in the cit ies

TOWNS CHOOSING MINT SAUCE

Cardiff...........................34%Birmingham....................23%Liverpool........................23% Newcastle.......................23%

TOWNS CHOOSING KETCHUP

London........................16%Bristol...........................8%Brighton........................7%

TOWNS CHOOSING MAYO

London..................19%Bristol....................13% Leeds.....................7%Manchester...............7%

Tesco sold 2.7 million Pigs in Blankets last Christmas, up 5% year on year

A third (33 percent) of Christmas hosts say they’ll cater for an alternative diet on the 25th - up 5 percent on last year’s report - of which a fifth (21 percent) say they’ll be hosting vegetarians and vegans. This marks a

3 percent increase year on year on the number of veggie and vegan meals being served. What’s more, a quarter of those hosting non-meat eaters say that the entire Christmas menu this year will be strictly vegetarian or vegan.

One in 10 (10 percent) 18-34-year-olds say they’ll go vegan this Christmas – twice as many as in 2018. When looking across the generations, those below 34 are nearly twice as likely to cater for a vegan than 35-54- year-olds (10 percent vs 6 percent) and three times more likely than those aged 55+ (10 percent vs 3 percent).

It’s the south of the country where the vegan trend will be most prominent, with London taking the top spot as 1 in 5 (19 percent) are set to go vegan this Christmas. Southampton is second, just pipping the national average, as 11 percent will be enjoying a vegan festive feast there.

However, hosts throughout Newcastle (23 percent), Brighton (20 percent) and Cardiff (21 percent) will also be looking for inspiration for greener plates as they are set to cater for veggie and vegan loved ones this year.

When looking at other dietary requirements, 12 percent of hosts say they’ll cater for dairy-free and gluten-free diets this year, meaning Christmas cooks have a big job ahead of them! But as with last year, it’s the Scots who are least likely

to cater for alternative diets, with 83 percent of people in Edinburgh saying they won’t cater for alternative diets.

Tesco Finest Carrot & Thyme Tarte Tatin

Tesco Pigs in Blankets

Tesco Finest Stuffing W

reath with

Pigs in Blankets and Cranberry Compote

5

Pigs come up trumps in the battle of the trimmings Pigs in blankets remain the nation’s favourite Christmas trimming chosen by 59 percent of the nation, with people in Liverpool (73 percent) and Bristol (72 percent) going particularly mad for them this Christmas. We’ll eat four ‘pigs’ on average but 12 percent say they’ll manage over 10 on the 25th alone.

Of those that eat pigs in blankets, 66 percent of over 55s and half (50 percent) of 35-54-year-olds say only the classic pig in blanket will do – they’re simply not interested in trying alternatives.

But 18-34-year-olds are more adventurous, keen this year to try pigs in duvets (24 percent), chicks in blankets (10 percent) and other meat alternatives of the classic Christmas

trimming (22 percent). 65 percent of people in Liverpool and Norwich say they won’t break away from the traditional pig in blanket, but Brits in Sheffield are the keenest to try something different, with more than half (58 percent) admitting so.

After pigs in blankets, the nation’s top trimmings for the big day are Yorkshire Puddings (44 percent), followed by spuds – roasted in oil (36 percent) or goose fat

(33 percent), or mashed (31 percent). Meanwhile in London, dinner plates may end up looking more like a fry-up this Christmas, with baked beans (24 percent) and chips

(21 percent) set to be making their way onto the table.

Surprisingly, the southern city of Brighton (62 percent) beat Leeds (59 percent) to the top spot for those having Yorkshire Puddings with their Christmas dinner, followed by Sheffield (58 percent), Cardiff (56 percent) and Newcastle (55 percent).

Christmas pudding will see a resurgence as it reclaims the top spot as the UK’s favourite festive dessert. This year, nearly half (48 percent) of Brits have said they’ll be tucking in to the classic pudding – up from 40 percent last year. Those in the North of the UK are the least likely to be enjoying Christmas pudding, with only a third of people in Glasgow (34 percent), Newcastle (33 percent) and Edinburgh (30 percent) planning to eat it. However, the pudding gains popularity the further south you travel. In fact, Bristol will be the UK Christmas pudding capital (62 percent) this year, followed by Plymouth (61 percent).

It’s perhaps no surprise that the traditional pudding is still most loved by the over 55s, with nearly twice as many set to choose it than those aged 18-34 years old (61 percent vs 36 percent). On the whole, the younger generation favour any kind of chocolate dessert (31 percent), mince pies (25 percent) and trifle (25 percent).

Half of the nation (50 percent) will choose Christmas cake, stollen or panettone, a quarter will opt for a scoop of trifle and the same again for a mince pie (both 24 percent). On average, Brits say they’ll overload on mince pies, eating three in a single sitting. Women say it’s two for them, one less than men, while those aged 18-34 years say they will be able to scoff nearly four (3.6 mince pies) before hitting their limit.

When it comes to temperature, results are mixed. A quarter will enjoy their pies hot (27 percent), over half aren’t fussed (55 percent) and 18 percent are set to enjoy them cold.

C H R I S T M A S P U D M A K E S A C O M E B A C K

How do you like your mince pies served?

Trifle (£32.1m sales) and cream cakes (profiteroles had £1.9m sales) were the biggest

Christmas dessert winners in 2018. This year, we’re seeing ‘chocolate pots’ make a comeback – we

expect them to be the hero of Christmas desserts.Kate Ewart, Product Development Director, Tesco

On their own 35%

With cream 27%

With custard 11%

With brandy butter 13%

With ice cream 8%

Tesco is expecting to sell 78 million mince pies over the festive period, including just under 55 million mince pies in December alone

France for festive fromageCheddar remains a must have this Christmas. It’s set to be on nearly half

(45 percent) of cheeseboards this year, followed by Brie (33 percent), Stilton (29 percent) and Red Leicester (22 percent). Interestingly, 2019 is the first

year where a French cheese is set to be more popular than traditional Stilton (2018 Stilton 46 percent vs Brie 41 percent), perhaps suggesting we’re

starting to take more inspiration from the continent over the holidays.

S O B E R I N G T H O U G H T S. YO U T H D R I V I N G L O W - & N O N - A L C O H O L I C T R E N D

Drinking at Christmas on the decline

On the whole, people plan to spend more on food and drink this year compared to last, and three quarters (76 percent) will enjoy a drink with their meal on the 25th. However, the trend to cut down on alcohol is gathering pace

as 6 percent fewer people will be drinking on the main day than last year, with men more likely to have a drink than women (81 percent vs 72 percent). Over half (57 percent) of Christmas hosts will be serving guests low- or non-alcoholic

drink options. People expect to cater for guests who choose not to drink alcohol at all (25 percent), those who are driving (23 percent) and for those who would simply like an alternative to alcohol (20 percent).

But it’s the younger generation driving the trend for sobriety. In fact, 18-34-year-olds say they’ll cater for the most teetotallers this Christmas, with 30 percent serving a low- or non-alcoholic drink to a guest that doesn’t drink. This

compares to a quarter (24 percent) of 35-54 year olds and a fifth (21 percent) of over 55’s who say they’ll do the same.

As to why people won’t be drinking this Christmas, or indeed on New Year’s Eve – two fifths (41 percent) say it’s because they don’t drink at all, another fifth (21 percent) say they don’t like alcohol and 1 in 6 (15 percent) choose not to for health reasons. This Christmas, men are three times more likely than

women not to drink due to being the designated driver (12 percent vs 4 percent).

What are they drinking instead?

For those not drinking, soft drinks (59 percent), tea and coffee (47 percent) and fruit juice (26 percent) will be the order of the day. But that’s not to say we don’t want to enjoy alcohol-like serves - a quarter of people

(24 percent) in the North East will enjoy a non-alcoholic wine and 1 in 10 (10 percent) Londoners will make it an alcohol-free beer. When looking at the sexes, women are three times more likely to request a mocktail than men

(10 percent vs 3 percent) and 18-34-year-olds are twice as likely to do the same when compared to the older generation (12 percent vs 6 percent). But it’s the Welsh who are keeping Christmas strictly ‘merry’ with 56 percent

admitting that they won’t be serving low- or non-alcoholic drinks to their guest this year.

Top sel lers across the decades:

1995Tesco Hock

German white wine from the Rhine region

2002Tesco Brut

Cava Sparkling

2015Plaza Centro

Prosecco

Since

The £7 Tesco Plaza Prosecco continues to dominate

Christmas sales and generated £20.1M at the tills last Christmas.

In fact, it’s been the number one selling product across the

entire Tesco product range over the last three years.Kate Ewart, Product Development Director, Tesco

Fruity, flavoured and pink gin is 36 percent up year on year

and is responsible for the vast majority of the growth in gin, both in value and in volume.

Tesco Finest Mince Pies 6 Pack

Tesco Finest Cheese Selection with Crackers and Chutney6

Christmas threadsWhile the Christmas period is renowned for glitz and glam, does this extend to the big day itself? It appears comfort is more important for some of us. Women are twice as likely to wear their PJs than men (8 percent vs 3 percent) and Cardiff will top the UK for staying comfy in their PJs, with a sixth of people (14 percent) planning to wear them for the majority of their day. For those aged 18-34, however, it is all about the novelty Christmas jumper. In fact, this age group is twice as likely to get into the festive spirit with the knitwear than those over 55 (16 percent vs 8 percent).

Casual 34%

Smart casual 39%

PJs 6%

Formalwear 5%

Christmas jumpers 11%

THE TOP SELLING PRODUCTS IN 2018

Tesco 12 Pigs In Blankets

240G

The big day at a glanceThe nation will sit down to Christmas lunch at 2:48pm with only 15 percent of Brits planning on tucking into their traditional meal in the evening (from 5pm). But gatherings are getting smaller, with just five people on average sitting down to dinner, down from six people in 2018. For those looking for a big bash, Norwich is the place to be – 18 percent of people in the city will sit down with more than 12 people at the dinner table.

On Christmas Day, the average person will enjoy three hours of Christmas TV viewing but those in Cardiff and Norwich will be watching for four hours. In fact, Norwich is revealed to be the home of telly addicts, with the average person in the city watching TV for six hours on the big day! For a third of us (34 percent), part of this screen time will be taken up with watching the Queen’s speech.

Surprisingly, it’s 18-34-year-olds who are planning on embracing the more classic Christmas traditions this year. As young royals take more of a public role, so too does young people’s interest, it seems, as 18-34-year-olds are 6 percent more likely to tune into the Queen’s Speech than those over 55 (42 percent vs 36 percent). The younger age group are also planning on making and mending this year too, with 13 percent crafting their own presents compared to just 4 percent of over 55s.

It isn’t just TV screens keeping Brits busy. A quarter (25 percent) have admitted that they will shop online on Christmas Day, jumping to two thirds (63 percent) in London – the highest in the UK. Looking at the generational divide, half (47 percent) of 18-34-year-olds will shop online on Christmas Day, twice as many as those aged 35-54 (27 percent) and six times as many as those aged 55+ (7 percent). Brits in Northern Ireland (70 percent) and Wales (62 percent) are traditionalists at heart though, refusing to shop online on the 25th.

F O O D A N D T E L LY B R I N G B R I TA I N T O G E T H E R O N T H E B I G D AY

We predict the Christmas cardigan could eventually be the next big thing and will certainly be as popular as the traditional Christmas jumper, with sales anticipated to increase by 576% year on year

Steven Astin, Merchandiser, Tesco F&F Clothing

Christmas greetingsSo far, so traditional – but not when it comes to Christmas cards. 18-34-year-olds are 9 percent more likely to send a text rather than a traditional card (38 percent versus 29 percent) to say ‘Happy Christmas’ to friends and family.

Tesco Clementine or Sweet Easy Peeler Pack

600G

Tesco Large Beef Roasting Joint With Basting Fat

Plaza Centro Prosecco 75Cl

Tesco Finest Mince Pies

7

P E T O W N E RS C U T B A C K O N C H R I S T M A S

When it comes to pets, man’s best friend is set to receive the most presents (55 percent) this year, followed by cats (45 percent) and even fish (4 percent). But compared to last year, owners are set to cut back on gifts for their pets, with 30

percent fewer dog owners saying they’ll buy their pooch a gift this year compared to last (2018 85 percent vs 2019 55 percent). Though, if there was any doubt that Britain is a nation of animal lovers, consider this – 44 percent of those with siblings say they

will be buying presents for their brothers and sisters this year, but 40 percent of pet owners plan on buying presents for their pets!

Our pets will also join in the celebrations on the big day – a quarter (24 percent) of them will receive a special meal in their bowl this year, a seventh (14 percent) will get a special place set for them under the Christmas table, whilst 1 in 10 will have the

privilege of a place at the dinner table. In a true act of love, a quarter (24 percent) of pet owners in London and 17 percent of those in Brighton will be setting a place at the table for their beloved animal. What’s more, over half

(56 percent) of these pets can be sure to see some human food served up this Christmas too.

Top pressies under the tree for our furr y fr iends include:

46%Festive food treats

35%Toys

14%Christmas card

13%Festive outfit

6%Advent calendar

With sustainability and the environment hot topics on the public agenda, 14 percent of Brits this year say they’ll reduce their meat intake to be more sustainable, with 18-34-year-olds more likely to do so than the old (23 percent vs 10 percent). Other efforts include considering buying a vegetarian alternative (15 percent) or a 100% organic (15 percent) Christmas dinner in 2019.

Deck the halls with old decorationsTo be more sustainable in 2019, Brits say they’ll re-use last year’s decorations (36 percent), will take care to use non-plastic ones (28 percent) and will use recycled decorations (25 percent). However, 28 percent of people admit they won’t change a thing this year when it comes to how they decorate their homes.

B R I T S H A I L A M O R E C O N S C I O U S C H R I S T M A S

Who’s eating less meat this Christmas to be more sustainable?

28%London

21%Sheffield

16%Nottingham

16%Brighton

21%Plymouth

Conscious Christmas effortsA third of Brits (38 percent) admit that their decision-making this Christmas will be impacted by their conscious efforts to be more sustainable, particularly those in London (51 percent), Plymouth (48 percent) and Sheffield (40 percent).

In a bid to be sustainable, only 24 percent of people bought Secret Santa gifts last year

Who wi l l b e buying fewer g i fts to b e sustainable?

43%Sheffield

42%Cardiff

37%Leeds

37%Southampton

36%PlymouthTesco Dog Biscuit Christmas Stars

Tesco Macarons For Dogs

Buying fewer gifts 29%

Eating less meat 23%

It’s the youth of the country leading the way on sustainability. 55 percent of 18-34-year-olds say that they’ll make more conscious choices this Christmas, falling to a third of 35-54-year-olds (36 percent) and 28 percent of those over 55.

Making my own gifts 16%

How will they be more sustainable?

8

We will take two days to eat our leftoversA whopping 86 percent of Brits say they’ll have leftovers from the big day. The average Christmas Day meal will last until December 27, making an average of 2.4 meals. This is good news for many, as 11 percent of people admit they prefer leftovers to the main Christmas meal.

Using up vegetable stalks in stews and soups25%

Buying a different / smaller bird e.g. chicken21%

Buying smaller joints of meat43%

Buying loose fruit and veg39%

Top effor ts to reduce fo o d waste wi l l include:

Turkey Biryani

Festive food wasteThree quarters (75 percent) of people say they’ll cut down on food waste this Christmas. To do this, a fifth of Brits will only buy enough food for Christmas and Boxing Day, rising to a third of people in Belfast (33 percent) and Brighton (31 percent). Another fifth of Brits (21 percent) plan on freezing their leftovers.

25 percent of people buy the perfect amount of food for their festive feasting, and those in Norwich (26 percent), Sheffield (22 percent) and Edinburgh (21 percent) buy just the right amount for the day with nothing left over or going to waste. Those in London are most likely to over buy out of habit (17 percent) or to overindulge (16 percent). However they are also most likely to be donating their leftover food (11 percent).

Top leftover meals:

Sandwiches 65%

Curry 28%Soup 28%

Casserole 28%Stew 17%

According to the top searches on the Tesco Real Food website, the below ranked the

most popular leftover recipes in 2018:

Why will Brits buy too much food this Christmas?:

They want leftover meals between Christmas and New Year

29%

Just because it’s Christmas16%

To make sure the whole family has enough to celebrate with

12%

Out of habit11%

To overindulge8%

Ham & Leek Mac and Cheese

When looking at the future of Christmas, many believe technology will play a big role in the festivities. A fifth say they’ll consider celebrating with friends and family via video projections (21 percent) and

roughly the same would consider using virtual reality (19 percent) or hologram projections (20 percent).

A quarter (26 percent) of Brits would even consider buying elderly relatives a robot or an Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistant to keep them company at Christmas, with men a third more likely

to do so than women (31 percent vs 21 percent). Two fifths of 18-34-year-olds support the idea of AI companions, as do more than half of Londoners (56 percent).

When it comes to choosing gifts in the future, a fifth of Brits (19 percent) say they would let their AI assistant write their Christmas gift list for them.

F R I E N D S & FA M I LY N O T I N C L U D E D – L O N D O N E RS A N D M I L L E N N I A L S S E T T O

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Pork RigatoniTesco Finest Turkey Feast

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