Over a third of UK adults will leave Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve this year.
Nearly 17.2 million - 36 per cent of UK adults - will leave their shopping to the last minute, according to a survey from ICM commissioned by Sainsbury's Bank Credit Cards.
Around £55 million will be spent every hour during the Christmas Eve rush, with a total of £1.3 billion expected to be spent on December 24th.
This compares to a spend of £1 billion made during Christmas Eve 2011.
In addition, shoppers are expected to spend £9.85 billion in the week before Christmas this year, a 4.8 per cent increase on the £9.4 billion expected spend in the week leading up to Christmas 2011.
39 per cent of people will use vouchers or coupons to buy Christmas food and gifts this year, 26 per cent will collect reward points and 13 per cent are estimated to buy Christmas gifts in the sales on Boxing Day and beyond, claims the survey.
Stuart McKeggie, Head of Sainsbury’s Credit Cards, said: “Our research indicates that Christmas Eve shopping continues to be as popular as ever, with millions of people still looking to pick up the perfect gifts right up until the last minute.
"For those shoppers who buy regularly from retailers that offer a loyalty scheme, or have a credit card that offers cashback or reward points, it could be worthwhile taking advantage of this while doing the Christmas shop and redeeming the rewards at a later date.
"For example, the Sainsbury's Nectar Credit Card offers up to five times the number of points usually earned in-store at Sainsbury's for the first three months – this is equivalent to up to five per cent back on your Sainsbury's shopping."
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