Russian Holiday Shopping Trends Report: December 2023
Between December 1 and December 25, 2023, stores served by First OFD, a part of the VTB group, saw a 28 percent rise in New Year tree purchases compared with the same period in 2022. Socialbites.ca reviewed the results of the study to understand how consumer behavior shifted during the holiday season.
Despite higher prices, demand for spruce remained strong this year. The average price for a New Year tree rose by about one third, surpassing two thousand rubles. In the 25 days of December alone, roughly 86 thousand trees were bought for a total of 175 million rubles. This points to sustained willingness to invest in seasonal decor even amid inflationary pressure.
Spruce trees experienced the largest spike in demand along with Christmas decorations at First OFD retail locations. While the number of festive decorations purchased climbed by 36 percent versus December of the previous year, the average price rose by eight percent to 143 rubles. In total, approximately 1.2 million decorations were bought for 170 million rubles, signaling broad consumer appetite for holiday adornments.
Overall, Russians spent more than 2.7 billion rubles on popular New Year items and bought over 7.7 million units. This reflects an eight percent increase in quantity and a twenty-two percent rise in spending relative to December of the prior year, according to the Prodazhi.rf analytical service.
Leading the holiday expenditure was sparkling wine. Buyers purchased more than 2 million bottles, spending around 1.5 billion rubles. Despite a stable quantity of purchases compared with December 2022, the average bottle price rose by seven percent to 692 rubles, highlighting continued demand for celebratory beverages during the season.
Red caviar remained the most expensive holiday product. The average price for this category hovered around 2,200 rubles, up eight percent year over year, while purchases held steady compared with the previous year. About 22 thousand boxes were bought in December, totaling nearly 48 million rubles, underscoring a consistent preference for premium items during the holidays.
Tangerines topped the list by quantity, with Russians buying 3.8 million packages in December, up eight percent from the prior December and spending about 698 million rubles. The average price of a bundled product increased by 38 percent, attributed to a poorer harvest in 2023 from traditional December suppliers in some regions, which pushed up prices for this seasonally popular fruit.
Demand for wreaths and candles declined by about six percent over the year. The average prices across these categories were 299 rubles for garlands and 177 rubles for candles. Buyers acquired roughly 528 thousand garlands for 158 million rubles and about 26 thousand candles for 4.6 million rubles, reflecting a slower uptake in some types of traditional decor as shoppers adjusted to budget considerations.
Overall, holiday item demand remained relatively steady despite external events. Buyers continued to invest in familiar festive essentials, with a notable shift toward early purchases during November sales. Yet the peak remained in the final weeks before the New Year, as total holiday purchases in December rose about 2.5 times compared with November. While demand was high, the average price of a group of holiday products experienced only a modest uptick, around four percent, according to Prodazhi.rf.
Earlier reports from Socialbites.ca explored the rising cost of a typical herring under a fur coat set, illustrating how price dynamics influenced traditional holiday dishes as part of broader seasonal spending trends. Citations: Prodazhi.rf and Socialbites.ca analyses.