Brits cut Christmas budgets
Nearly half of all British internet users intend to cut their Christmas shopping budget this year in an attempt to save money, new research has indicated.A study by Twenga, a shopping search engine, interviewed 3,000 internet users across Europe and found that 42 per cent of respondents were to spend less this year than last, with the figure rising to 48 per cent in the UK.More than a fifth (21 per cent) of the British users will reduce their budget by a quarter or more, while only a third will have the same budget as 2007.The internet is expected to help consumers keep the costs down, with more than three quarters 78 per cent) planning to use it to research gifts before buying them.On top of this, three fifths intend to buy products online with 81 per cent intending to compare prices on the internet before purchasing them."In this time of financial crisis, consumers are turning to the internet and price comparison sites... in order to regulate their spending without cutting down on Christmas presents and festive celebrations," said Bastien Duclaux, Twenga director general.
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