Shoppers tighten Christmas belts

A THIRD of people in France say they will give second-hand presents this year to help reduce their Christmas spending.

A Europe-wide study published today found consumers were looking to buy more useful and long-lasting presents, with books, clothes, educational games and vouchers among the most popular choices.

Two thirds of those questioned by Deloitte said they would be cutting their Christmas budget this year, with French households expected to spend about 3.5% less than 2008.

The average person in France will spend €650 in total over the festive period, buying about 10 presents with an average price tag of €42.

Spending on food will also be cut, with supermarket and hypermarket own brands expected to do well.

The Deloitte survey, based on interviews with 17,567 adults across Europe, found 19% of people were considering putting their presents up for sale online to make money.