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Dutch households are struggling to tighten their belts this Christmas as inflation has pushed up the price of decorations.
Figures from market research bureau GfK show consumers are buying less than last year but spending roughly the same amount – roughly €112 million in total – as the cost of baubles, tinsel and Yuletide figurines has shot up.
Artificial Christmas trees are 10% more expensive than last year, mainly because of the increase in shipping costs from China.
‘Garden centres with lots of entertainment, such as a big Christmas show and good catering, are doing a bit better. Small garden centres are doing a bit worse,’ said Brenda Horstra of Tuinbranche Nederland.
Lobke Samallo, marketing manager at garden retail chain Intratuin, said sales were generally holding up well, with a few exceptions. ‘Outdoor lighting isn’t selling so fast this year. We only sell LED lighting, but it seems people still think that all those lights cost a lot of money in energy.’
GfK also found spending during Black Friday week was down by 3.3% compared to last year, but sales of camcorders, induction cooking hobs and smart speakers increased strongly.
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