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The Price of Love: Average Brits splash £41 on Valentine’s Day

10th March 2015 Print

The average Briton forks out £41 on their spouse to celebrate Valentine’s Day, a recent survey has found. 

A survey into the habits of the British public by Ladbrokes Casino for the launch of their new romantic quiz has found significant difference between the spending patterns of the sexes, as one third of all women asked would only purchase a card for their partner. However, over 50% said they would be annoyed if their husband or boyfriend didn’t buy them anything at all, yet on average spend £18 less than their male counterparts, who cough up £50. 

The 36% increase on male spending suggests that they tend to buy their partners gifts purely to keep them happy. 

After seeing the research, a Ladbrokes spokesperson stated: “It seems men have the raw end of the deal for when it comes to Valentine’s, having to pull out all the stops and spend up, yet the majority of women are just buying cards.

“It’s also interesting to see what gambles people take when it comes to proposing, the ring seems to be a no bet, whilst cutting out tradition like asking parents is a gamble people are happy to take.”

However, with the outlay of males and females standing at £50 and £32 respectively on average, the study has revealed 10% of those surveyed would take their spending over the £100 mark to show their spouse how much they mean to them. Over in America this average spend is just over $190. Consumers have bought lavish gifts such as designer handbags, Rolex watches and vacations away for their partner in the build up to 14th February. Although many see the celebrations as being superficial and the meaning of Valentine’s Day has been the lost, it has become a financial hotspot for the economy.  

Despite the big spenders, many prefer the more simplistic options when purchasing gifts for Valentine’s Day, with a box of chocolates topping the charts for the most present. Other classic romantic gestures such as taking your spouse out for a meal and getting them a bunch of roses come in second and third place respectively. More interesting though is the fourth most popular gift being just a card, backing up the female perspective that card is enough to show your love. 

Although some couples have their own unique, and sometimes strange interests, some of those who were surveyed admitted to purchasing a rather bizarre present for their partner. The likes of a shed, a pair of clogs and a ticket to tour NASA all appeared in the data from the study. 

But one area that should disregarded when it comes to Valentine’s Day is getting your partner an engagement ring,  as whopping 60% stated they would not want to be proposed to on the most romantic day of them all.