Most Romanians To Spend Holidays At Home, On Less Money - Survey

According to a market study by MEDNET Marketing Research Center, the holiday budget is smaller than last year's for 61.9% of the sample, down to an average 1,052.48 lei (EUR1=RON4.3006) from RON1523.29 in 2009.

Almost half (49.8%) of those who took part in the study do not usually set a budget for the holidays, while 38.7% do so regularly (more than last year's 33.4%). Still, the share of respondents who save up for the holidays is 45.8%, equal to last year's. Some intend to borrow money for their holiday this year - 7.4% in 2010, compared to 6.1% in 2009.

Most Romanians will spend the holidays at home, with family and friends (88.3%), while 8.9% will go to a spa or mountain resort in the country and 3% will go abroad.

The respondents plan to set aside RON491.54, on average, to spend on food during the holidays, and RON302.07 for non-food products (clothing, shoes, cosmetics). These budgets will be lower than last year's in the case of 58.1% and 49% of the sample, respectively.

Romanians will reduce their holiday food budget by eliminating certain products entirely, such as alcoholic drinks (34.2% will not buy alcohol at all), or buying less of certain products, including soft drinks (28.8%), meat (26.9%), alcoholic drinks (26.9%), vegetables/fruit (24.4%), traditional products (22.1%). The least affected category is vegetables/fruit, with 66.5% answering they intend to spend the same amount as last year.

Around 10% of the sample have set budget for holiday trips, amounting to RON1,351.79 on average (compared to RON1,312 in 2009). Also, 43.9% plan to spend less going out for Christmas and New Year's Eve - RON302.55 on average (compared to RON346.28 in 2009).

Only 36.2% of those who answered said they plan to buy a Christmas tree, while 38.3% said they would reuse last year's. Also, 23.4% will have no Christmas tree. More than 60% of the sample said they would reuse older tree ornaments, compared to 18% who said they would buy new ones.

The economic crisis has taken its toll on Romanians' budget for presents, which is, on average, RON414 (down from RON526 last year). This amount is smaller for more than 51.7% of city-dwellers, while 38.1% will manage to allot the same sum. Although they plan to spend less money, around 80.5% of the sample said they still intend to buy presents (compared to 81.4% in 2009).

The types of presents most of those who answered consider buying are clothing/shoes (45% vs. 54% in 2009), cosmetics/perfume (31.4% vs. 37.4% in 2009), toys (32.8% vs. 30.6% in 2009), chocolate/coffee (29.1% vs. 20.4% in 2009), books (14.9% vs. 17.4% in 2009), jewelry/watches (7.3% vs. 14.8% in 2009). "We can see a preference for practical gifts (clothes, shoes), as well as a higher interest in cheaper objects (chocolate, coffee, toys), instead of high value products (jewelry, watches, household appliances)," say the survey's authors.

The study was carried out by phone, on a sample of 802 people, of ages 18-65, representing Bucharest and cities of more than 100,000 people, between November 23 and 30, 2010. The study has an error margin of +/-3.45%.

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