Christmas shoppers blow £93 million just getting to the shops

Christmas spending is set to be cut by £300 million this year as shoppers face the first credit crunch Christmas. But new research from uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, suggests that almost a third of these savings could be wiped out by shoppers throwing away over £93 million on driving and car parking charges.

This Christmas, car parking charges alone could set consumers back over £85 million, while petrol costs look set to hit shoppers in the pocket for an estimated £8.3 million. This could either reduce consumers' spending capacity further, or force cash strapped Brits to dig deeper into their pockets this Christmas.

If these costs make consumers spend less on their Christmas shopping it could spell even deeper gloom for the High Street, which has already taken a hit as consumers rein in spending. Retailers make as much as 60% of their annual turnover during the Christmas period. But this is already looking shaky, with Marks & Spencer recently reporting a drop in sales helping to knock more than £100 million off its half year operating profit. John Lewis too has reported an almost weekly drop in sales, most recently announcing a fall of 4.1%. Overall, retail sales throughout the country have fallen by 2.2%.

With budgets tight, consumers need to be aware of the hidden costs of a ‘quick trip to the shops', as they could hit them hard. Organised Christmas shoppers, making just one present buying trip in the car, could find themselves paying out £6.14 each on petrol and car parking, while the 48% of people who make multiple Christmas shopping trips could find themselves paying out £12.32 each for the pleasure.

The average cost of parking for four hours in a town centre car park is £5.17. However, it can cost far more. In London for example, it costs on average £18.71 to park in a city centre car park for four hours, £13.54 higher than the national average. These charges are avoidable on the whole. Walking to local shops, using park and ride schemes, public transport or visiting out of town shopping centres with free car parking could all save cash strapped shoppers from eating into their Christmas budget.
But also shopping online could save consumers time and money, something that many seem to have already grasped. Online retailer, ASOS, has just unveiled a 107% increase in year on year sales, while the industry body for global e-retailers - IMRG - predicts that online bargain seekers will spend over £13 billion in the run up to Christmas.

Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: "Cash strapped consumers intend to spend less on the High Street this Christmas to save money, but they could still end up paying out more than they expected if they don't factor in car parking and petrol costs. All it will take is a number of shopping trips in the car, paying steep car parking charges, to leave consumers wondering exactly where their hard earned money has gone.

"This credit crunch Christmas it makes sense to plan any shopping trips in advance so you don't end up wasting money on car parking fees. Walking to local shops, using park and ride schemes, public transport or visiting out of town shopping centres with free car parking could all save cash strapped shoppers from eating into their Christmas budget. There are also plenty of bargains to be had online, which would strip out a lot of the unnecessary costs and hassle of Christmas shopping."

To help consumers, uSwitch.com has pulled together the following 10 point plan:

1. Write a Christmas shopping list before you hit the shops so you don't waste time and don't impulse buy.

2. Work out what your maximum budget is for each present - and stick to it.

3. Plan ahead - decide which shopping centre will have everything you need, but remember to factor in the cost of getting there and parking.

4. Out of town shopping centres often offer free car parking - for a big Christmas shopping trip this could be a good option.

5. Get to the cheaper town centre car parks early, before they get full, forcing you to park somewhere far more expensive.

6. Make sure you have plenty of change on you so you don't end up paying for longer than you require because the car park ticket machine doesn't give change.

7. Check out your chosen town centre's park and ride scheme - these offer good value for money and can save you a lot of time and hassle.

8. Don't forget your local shops - independents and boutiques will often offer more quirky gifts and might be within easy walking distance.

9. If you struggle to keep within budget when Christmas shopping, only take enough cash with you to cover the presents on your list. Once it's gone, it's gone!

10. If shopping online, make sure you only use recommended secure websites - look for the padlock symbol and check that the internet address starts with HTTPS - the ‘S' stands for secure.

For more information visit uSwitch.com