North West shoppers to splash out on expensive gifts

The must-have big value items on the region’s Christmas shopping lists have been revealed this week.

Topping the list of must-haves, according to research carried out for Halifax Home Insurance, is the much sought after Nintendo Wii game console. One-in-four people in the north west said they would buy the £250 interactive games console, making it the most desirable big-ticket item likely to be found under the Christmas tree.

Next on the list was an iPod (15%) costing £160, followed by expensive jewellery or watches costing around £300. Just 3% of local people said they would splash out around £269 on the iPhone, the mobile phone and internet access device launched in November.

According to research, shoppers expect to spend £384 on gifts this Christmas, putting the region’s most expensive gifts in range and increasing the value of goods in thousands of homes.

David Rochester, Head of Pricing at Halifax Home Insurance, said: “At Christmas the value of goods in the home soars. This study of the most expensive gifts that people plan to buy highlights the need to take adequate cover to cover the cost of replacing gifts in the event of a burglary.”

Big-ticket items on the region’s Christmas wish-list

1. 24% Nintendo Wii game console £250
2. 15% 80gb iPod £160
3. 12% Jewellery and watches £250
4. 8% High definition TV £700
5. 7% DVD Recorder/player £400

The study was carried out for Halifax Home Insurance as part of its ongoing campaign for more home security in the region. The insurer, which provides unlimited cover for contents as standard, reveals over five years it has dealt with more than 5,000 claims arising from burglaries in the Greater Manchester area, totallng over £6.6 million.

Halifax Home Insurance is offering free tips and advice on beating burglars in leaflets available from its branches across the region. Further details can be found online at halifax.co.uk/homesecurity.