UK shoppers reward merchants with better payments this holiday season

By Puja Sharma

Global research indicates festive consumption will be defined by gifting and enjoying meaningful experiences that start with a robust checkout

Shoppers are changing holiday traditions this festive season, with a new focus on enjoying and gifting meaningful experiences, according to global consumer research issued today by Paysafe, a leading payments platform. The ‘Inside the Wallet: Holiday Edition’ report also indicates that consumers gravitate towards merchants offering a flexible range of payment options, including digital wallets, and robust transactional security.

Surveying 8,500 consumers across the U.S., Brazil, the U.K., Germany, Canada, Bulgaria, and Ecuador, Paysafe’s latest research suggests strong demand for travel during the holidays. Shoppers are just as sophisticated when it comes to their holiday purchases, with growing appetite for omnichannel retail and social media shopping, even as their support for small and local businesses remains high.

The experience economy takes center stage

• Around 43% of UK consumers prefer gifting an experience – especially food, drink, travel, concerts and live entertainment – rather than a physical item, and 44% would like to receive an experience themselves.
• Video gaming gifts go digital: 68% of UK respondents agree that gift cards, such as PaysafeCard, are the most convenient way to treat a gamer.
• Over 51% of UK consumers plan to travel during the holidays, including 22% internationally, signaling a strong return to seasonal mobility and experience-driven celebrations.
• A busy sports schedule is driving interest in online sports wager: almost a third (31%) of UK consumers plan to place a bet, with soccer the dominant sport (77%), followed by basketball and horse racing both at 40%. American football leads in the U.S. (60%) and ice hockey tops Canadian preferences (53%).

Shopping habits shift

• Payment preferences are evolving – when asked about the payment methods they’d primarily use for festive holiday gift shopping in the UK, debit cards (50%) and credit cards (34%) are the top payment methods, digital wallets (32%) have gained traction, and local payment methods (LPMs) and even cash remain popular in some markets.
• Consumers in the UK are also embracing omnichannel retail experiences, with 36% splitting their purchases between online and in-store purchases, and, while online marketplaces are popular (20%), niche channels like social media are increasingly being used by younger demographics like Gen Z (11% across the survey markets).
• There is solid support for local and independent retailers in the UK, with 73% of global consumers planning to buy from small businesses.

Security and convenience at the checkout

• Ease and assurance are non-negotiable: 43% of UK consumers have abandoned a cart because their preferred payment method wasn’t available and 42% have done the same due to concerns about the safety of their financial information.

“The holidays are shifting from shopping lists to memorable experiences,” said Rob Gatto, Chief Revenue Officer at Paysafe. “From gifting a dream trip to the latest game, shoppers want every moment, from payment choice to enjoyment, to be seamless, secure, and meaningful. From early shopping and travel plans to evolving payment preferences, the festive season is becoming more diverse and brings opportunities for merchants to connect with consumers in new ways.