Traditionally seen as the less significant counterpart to Mother's Day, Father's Day is set to see a notable increase in spending this year. According to new research, changing purchasing habits and rising costs mean that Britons will spend nearly £15 more on gifts for their fathers compared to mothers.
Spending Figures Revealed
The average spend on Father's Day gifts and cards this year, which falls on June 21, is expected to reach £54.38, as reported by discount code website MyVoucherCodes. This figure is £14.63 higher than the average amount people planned to spend on Mother's Day, where similar research indicated a typical spend of £39.75. Just over a decade ago, polls suggested that spending on fathers was barely more than half of what was spent on mothers.
Reasons Behind the Shift
Ironically, part of the reason for this turnaround appears to be mothers themselves, who are increasingly keen to spoil the men in their lives. Additionally, popular Father's Day gift choices, such as alcohol and meals out, have risen disproportionately in price. Alcohol and food items were the most popular presents, each chosen by 27% of the 2,000 respondents, followed closely by gift cards, which accounted for 24% of planned purchases.
However, not all gifts are well received. The research indicated that jewellery ranks as the least ideal gift for dads, with 17% of respondents naming it as their least preferred option.
Expert Insights
Sarah-Jane Outten, a shopping expert at MyVoucherCodes, commented: 'Father's Day spending is set to be noticeably higher this year, with our research showing shoppers plan to spend almost £15 more on dads than mums. There are a few reasons behind this shift. In many households, mums are still the ones organising and purchasing gifts for Father's Day, and they're often more inclined to really spoil the dads in their lives with more expensive treats or multiple presents. At the same time, the cost of gifting has simply gone up. Popular Father's Day choices like food, meals out and alcohol have all seen price increases over the past year, so even shoppers sticking to similar gift ideas are finding themselves spending more at the checkout.'
She suggested setting a budget, planning ahead, looking for discount codes, and making the most of multi-buy deals to help keep costs down.
Social Changes
Social changes may also account for Father's Day becoming more of a priority for families than in previous decades. Psychologists say the turnaround may be partly explained by fathers playing a more hands-on role in parenting as traditional gender roles have broken down. Closer emotional bonds between children and fathers, compared to previous generations, may also play a part.
The survey was conducted by OnePoll in April, polling 2,000 people across the UK for the Father's Day study. A previous survey of 2,000 people about Mother's Day was carried out by OnePoll in February.
