As Valentines seems to be ‘growing up’ with more ethical and considered products being accessible and available this year, the popular festival still brings a little joy and frivolity to customers looking for a post-Christmas blues pick-me-up.
Valentine’s Day has always been an opportunity for retail and hospitality to drive profit post Christmas but there has been some shift in tradition as consumers look for more personalized offers and search out ethical alternatives. The average U.K. consumer spends approximately £35 on goods to mark this celebration of love. Collectively then, Brits spend over £1.45 billion on the festival, according to figures from Professional Jeweller. Some retailers have focused on a humorous approach to gifting and Marks & Spencer has brought back the product that created a social media viral success fourth company in 2019 — the Love Sausage. This year the retailer has also added Love Cucumbers and Love Pork Pies to their heart shaped food offerings. Moonpig, the online card and gift retailer is also relying on the appeal of humor with a limited edition range of playful cards with heat-reactive technology revealing secret, more adult messages, once body heat is applied to the card. Yet customers are demanding more than a quick pun from products when marking Valentines Day and are seeking out more personalized offerings and ethically sourced produce.
