MORE THAN a third of Irish consumers – 37 per cent – have set themselves a budget of €500 for Christmas this year, according to an online survey. About 90 per cent of respondents said they will not be spending more on festive shopping this year than last year, with the main cutbacks coming on purchases of gifts and alcohol.

The Ireland.com survey, which 1,471 people completed, found that two in five people are likely to spend up to €1,000, with a further 7 per cent saying their budget was capped at €1,500.

The survey found that a quarter of people intend to leave their Christmas shopping until the last minute. In contrast, 44 per cent have already started.

Three in four people said they would support Irish retailers when buying their gifts, but only if prices were competitive.

Among parents, 28 per cent said computer games and games consoles were the most popular present for kids this Christmas. One in four parents said they would not spend more than €100 on gifts for each of their children, while 22 per cent said they would spend more than €200 on each child.

Unsurprisingly, some 38 per cent of those surveyed said their partner is the hardest person to buy a Christmas present for.