The festive season transcends mere celebrations; it serves as a prime opportunity for businesses worldwide to amplify their exports, particularly in the Christmas market.
As families unite in joy, businesses can thrive, making it the perfect juncture to elevate your presence in Christmas export markets.
For example, according to Statista, the British themselves spent on Christmas around 85 bln GBP (more than 1000 GBP per capita). Other European countries can also feature with their spending:
Pic. #1: Estimated total Christmas spending in retail in Europe. Source: www.statista.com
What do people buy? Holiday gifts, of course, and leading categories are the following: Clothes, Gift cards, Electronics, Toys, Beauty Supplies, Jewelry etc. A lot depends on the country and local traditions.
Exporters from all over the world are getting prepared for Christmas long in advance. Usually, Christmas stock should be shipped to the retail warehouse by the end of September. The annual exhibition “Christmasworld” is traditionally held in Frankfurt at the end of January (which means, right after Christmas).
The market for Christmas decorations itself isn’t small either. It’s estimated to be worth more than 7 bln U.S. dollars in 2023. This market is forecasted to grow in the following years:
Pic. #2: Market size of Christmas decorations and lights worldwide from 2021 to 2027. Source: www.statista.com
How to choose your export market for Christmas gifts?
The interesting fact about Christmass market is that exporters and importers are entirely different countries. More than 50% of the estimated market (more than 4 bln U.S. dollars in 2022) is imported by only one country – the USA. This impressive number reflects the local tradition of bringing a huge number of decorations to homes, offices, shops, etc. for all holidays.
The UK is second in this ranking by a large margin – 365 mln. U.S. dollars, followed by the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and France. The Netherlands alone imports around 250 mln. U.S. dollars. This is not for local consumers only. One of the biggest EU non-food trading companies – Dutch enterprise “Koopman International” features “Christmas” as one of its main categories.
Most of these decorations are produced and exported from China (9,7 bln U.S. dollars in 2022), followed by the Netherlands (250 mln. U.S. dollars, the same amount as imported), India, Germany, and Poland.
Where do these traders and buyers meet for B2B matchmaking? The most famous trade events are above mentioned Christmasworld (Germany), Christmas Expo (the USA) and “Import and Export Fair” (China).
