Copy article

One in five Brits scrap Valentine's Day gifts to save cash

ended 12. February 2026

The traditional Valentine’s Day splurge is under threat as one in five UK consumers (19%) admit to cutting back on gifting to keep their finances afloat. 

According to new data from ecommerce marketing platform Omnisend, the "squeeze on romance" comes as shoppers battle rising costs that have pushed overall monthly spending higher, even as they buy fewer non-essential items.

The nationally representative survey of UK adults reveals a widening gap between what shoppers want to spend and what they are forced to spend. Nearly two thirds of British consumers (63.3%) report that their monthly online shopping bills have climbed over the last year. Specifically, 16.5% of Brits are spending up to £50 more per month than last year, while a further 16.3% have seen their monthly bills jump by between £50 and £99.

This financial pressure is even impacting relationships, with 22% of respondents confessing to hiding their online shopping habits from their partners. However, this secrecy wasn’t always bad, with 38% admitting the main reason was because the item was actually a gift for the person they were hiding it from.

  • Have you as a small business noticed less spending on Valentine's Day this year?
  • Have you as an individual spent less on Valentine's Day this year?
  • Any other thoughts?

Respones asap.

6 responses from the Newspage community

Copy all

Copy

Editor
Riz MalikVerified
Independent Financial Adviser at R3 Wealth
There are a lot of pressures on household finances and with economic uncertainty, large public displays of affection could be the last thing on your mind. However, you don't need to break the bank to tell your partner you love them, and you can be different. For unmarried couples, arranging a will could be the biggest act of love. Alternatively, arranging a protection policy to safeguard your family could be a bigger gesture of love rather than something that will end up in the bin.
Copy

Editor
Samuel Mather-HolgateVerified
Managing Director & IFA at Mather and Murray Financial
It is official, romance is dead. With scammers getting rich of people's emotions and yesterday being the most likely day of the year to get dumped it's no wonder a faltering economy and uncertainty about personal finances adds to the worry related to Valentine's Day. More Brits than ever won't be celebrating this year and that means a further hit to the chancellor's coffers. Small businesses and cottage industries are likely to be hit hard this February.
Copy

Editor
Kate UnderwoodVerified
Founder & Chief People Strategist at Kate Underwood HR and Training
Romance shouldn’t require a remortgage. Valentine’s Day can be a proper revenue booster for hospitality and a few other industries, but the cost of living isn’t exactly setting the mood. People still want to show they care, they’re just doing it with tighter budgets and less tolerance for forced, pricey nonsense. If you can support a small business, brilliant. Book the independent restaurant. Buy flowers from the local florist. Grab treats from the neighbourhood baker. But keep it thoughtful, not theatrical. The big commercial grand gestures feel more like pressure than love anyway. And here’s the truth: if your relationship only gets attention on 14 February, that’s not romance, that’s a calendar reminder doing the heavy lifting. The best “Valentine’s” is everyday stuff done consistently. A proper chat. A kind act. Turning up. Agree on a budget in advance and pick one small business to back. Love without debt is the real win.
Copy

Editor
Kate AllenVerified
Owner at Finest Stays
Rain it in, save your cash, and don’t get sucked into the Valentine’s vortex. Hands up, I’m guilty of reassessing what went into my shopping basket this week. An outrageous Valentine’s card is non-negotiable, but the extras such as make-your-own Valentine’s candles, heart shaped glasses, fluffy toys etc. just feel like overkill. For some reason, this year Valentine’s feels uncomfortably close to Christmas, with the hangover of the Black Friday spending frenzy still very real for a lot of households. People are being far more intentional about where their money goes. As a business, we’re definitely seeing consumers prioritise experiences and meaningful time together over “stuff”. As an individual, I’m very much in the camp of keeping it simple — card, maybe a nice meal, and that’s enough.
Copy

Kundan BhaduriVerified
Entrepreneur, Investor and Landlord at The Kushman Group
Look at it this way, perhaps this recession of romance will force a return to actual value. Stripped of the ability to buy affection with overpriced tat, couples might be forced to rely on conversation and a home-cooked meal. The economy is certainly broken, but saving £100 on a mediocre dinner to put towards your heating bill is perhaps a more practical expression of love in modern Britain.

When the mortgage has jumped by £400 a month and the energy bill is stubbornly high, that £5 card and a box of chocolates is better off as a budget item you don't need this month.
Copy

Colette MasonVerified
AI Ethics Consultant at Clever Clogs AI
One in five cutting Valentine's spending isn't economic decline. It's a sign of rising personal agency and better common sense. We've been given a calendar of manufactured obligation: Valentine's, Grandparents' Day, Teachers' Day, the Christmas guilt machine. Each exists because a marketing department decided your affection needs a proof of purchase.

Going out means an overpriced set menu and frantic service because every restaurant is rammed. That's not romance. It's a cattle shed.

The real story isn't that people spend less. It's that rising costs force the question comfort never did: am I buying this because I want to, or because I've been told I should?

When 22% hide purchases from partners, spending pressure has outgrown the relationship it claims to serve. Do things for people you love because you mean it, not because a marketing exec says February 14th is the deadline.

Forced generosity isn't generous. It's the self-worth bus driven by someone else's sales target.