Freenow by Lyft research points to mounting festive pressure as Secret Santa overspend hits £617 million
- Perry Richardson
- 7 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Britain’s annual Secret Santa tradition is turning into a costly seasonal burden, according to new analysis from Freenow by Lyft.
The firm’s research suggests close to two-thirds of UK participants exceed their agreed spending limits, with as many as 29 million people paying up to £20 more than intended. The combined overspend amounts to roughly £617 million, signalling a sizeable spike in discretionary outlay during an already expensive period for households and employers organising workplace gift exchanges.
The findings indicate that London remains the UK’s most prominent pocket of festive delay. Forty six percent of people in the capital leave Secret Santa buying until the last minute, rising to fifty seven percent among those aged between twenty five and thirty four. The trend reflects a continued reliance on rapid retail access, quick-turnaround services and same-day fulfilment, placing further demand on transport providers and high-street outlets during peak December trading.
Despite tighter budgets, consumers continue to focus on perceived quality. Thirty nine percent of respondents said the thought behind a gift mattered more than staying within the spending cap. Residents in Nottingham showed the strongest preference for meaningful purchases at fifty five percent, followed by Glasgow and Newcastle on fifty percent. In Manchester, buying behaviour is skewed more towards convenience, with thirty eight per cent prioritising retailers close to home or work.
New data highlights rising last-minute shopping habits and shifting consumer behaviour across major UK cities
The workplace remains a pressure point for shoppers and employers organising seasonal activities. Twenty two per cent of participants identified new or quiet colleagues as the most challenging to buy for. Supply delays also influence behaviour, as forty percent admitted to a last-minute supermarket purchase when online orders fail to arrive. Re-gifting continues to play a role among adults aged thirty five to forty four, with twenty eight percent opting to pass on an existing item. Nearly a third of male respondents preferred to delegate the entire process.
Cost sensitivity varied sharply between cities. Southampton and Liverpool recorded the highest proportion seeking the cheapest possible present at thirty five per cent, in contrast to London where one in three respondents cited avoiding Christmas crowding as the primary factor shaping their approach. The capital’s congested shopping districts have pushed more residents towards convenience-focused alternatives, presenting opportunities for transport operators targeting end-of-year demand.
Freenow by Lyft said it is aiming to ease some of the seasonal strain by working with its black cab partners to distribute pre-wrapped Secret Santa gifts to selected passengers across London. The company said the initiative is designed to support customers navigating busy shopping periods and encourage use of licensed taxis during one of the network’s most commercially active months.
Danny O’Gorman, UK General Manager at Freenow by Lyft, said: "Secret Santa shopping should be fun, but most leave it last minute which can spark unnecessary stress. We know people have enough to deal with in December, from packed streets to busy diaries, so we wanted to add a bit of festive ease. From the convenience, reliability, and safety of a taxi journey, to the gift in your hand, we’re making December easier - we’ve teamed up with a few taxi drivers and we’ll be giving away pre-wrapped gifts so our passengers have one less thing to worry about this Christmas."
