SES Spar European Shopping Centers

PRESS

Study by Linz-based MARKET Institut: Gift trends for Christmas 2025

Shopping malls are a major factor for Christmas spirit

85% of all gift givers visit shopping centers in the run-up to Christmas
© Evatrifft
This press release has: 1 Image 2 Documents

A recent study of Christmas shopping conducted in September this year by the Linz-based MARKET Institut on behalf of SES Spar European Shopping Centers shows that in Austria, shopping malls play a central role for all age groups as hubs of inspiration, shopping and experience. The group of 16- to 29-year-olds are the most active in holiday gifting (91% agreement) while simultaneously attaching the greatest value to an atmospheric shopping experience.

Christoph Andexlinger, CEO of SES Spar European Shopping Centers:
“We are thrilled by the strong positive response and the unique importance our shopping centers hold for people in Austria, particularly during the Christmas season! Our malls offer not just inspiration and thousands of gift ideas ready for the taking, but also a festive atmosphere and a place for community gathering, ensuring that the majority of retail business continues to thrive in a physical setting. And with our ZEHNER gift voucher, we provide the perfect solution in the most popular Christmas gift segment.”

The shopping center experience: a festive atmosphere is a key aspect
The study found that decorations, Christmas trees, atmospheric Christmas music and festive events are central elements of Christmas shopping.

  • Exactly half of the Austrians questioned find Christmas markets in shopping centers or on shopping streets particularly appealing.
  • -25% of those questioned highly value the convenience of Christmas tree sales in the shopping center.
  • Also popular are craft markets (24%), visits by St. Nicholas (22%) and gift-wrapping stations (20%).

Further study findings at a glance:
  • More than half of all Austrians (51%) start their Christmas shopping before the end of November, well ahead of the actual Christmas season, and one in seven even buy gifts to put under the Christmas tree throughout the year. A further 34% regard December as the right time to start their Christmas shopping, leaving only 15% who are not intending to buy gifts this year.
  • 85% of all gift givers visit shopping centers in the run-up to Christmas.
  • Young people under the age 29 are particularly active givers (91%), and nearly all of these (97%) visit shopping centers. The pre-Christmas shopping experience, with music, lights and decorations, is particularly important for 61% of this age group – the highest value across all age groups (average 41%; 44% of women and 39% of men).
Gift vouchers remain the top choice this year, followed by money and toys

  • Gift vouchers once again clearly take first place for gifts across all age groups (38%). Among the 50+ age group, almost one in two (45%) opts for gift vouchers. Men who give presents select gift vouchers more frequently than women do (41% versus 35%).
  • Following closely in popularity are gifts of money (25%), toys (24%), books (22%), perfumery products (16%), travel/events (15%) and confectionery/food gifts (15%). But clothes/shoes, electronics, sports articles and jewelry also do well, all achieving double-digit percentages.


Budget and shopping trends remain consistent with last year

  • 51% of givers plan to spend up to EUR 500 on Christmas gifts this year.
  • 21% intend to invest between EUR 501 and 1,000.
  • 41% of shoppers who buy their gifts from brick-and-mortar retailers travel there by public transit, by bicycle or on foot, with more than half of 16- to 29-year-olds using these forms of transport.


The SES Christmas Study 2025
The basis for the study conducted by the Linz-based MARKET Institut on behalf of SES Spar European Shopping Centers was an online survey of 1,000 people over the age of 16, which took place in September 2025 and was representative for the whole of Austria. The findings provided comprehensive insights into the role of brick-and-mortar retailers – particularly shopping centers – as a popular place to meet and shop in the pre-Christmas period.


SES Spar European Shopping Centers

SES is active as a developer, constructor, and operator of shopping centers in six Central European countries: Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Hungary, Croatia, and Czech Republic. The company currently manages 32 shopping locations in Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe, with a total leasable area (GLA) of more than 866,000 square meters. SES is the market leader in Austria and Slovenia for large-scale shopping centers. With over 117 million visitors every year, the retail partners in SES shopping centers generated a total sales turnover of 3.54 billion euros in 2024.  SES also offers its know-how in the areas of project development, construction management, leasing of shop space, as well as center and facility management very successfully to external owners of shopping malls. SES centers have already received several national and international awards for architecture and design, sustainability, traffic flow concepts, and innovative marketing. In 2023 the ALEJA Shopping Center in Ljubljana won the internationally acclaimed ECSP Design and Development Award in the category of New Centre Developments of 15,000 to 45,000 Square Metres. SES is part of the SPAR Austria Group.

Additional information can be found at: www.ses-european.com and presse.ses-european.com.

Press kit
All contents as .zip

Press release (4026 Characters)
Text as .txt Copy to clipboard

Images 1
© Evatrifft

Documents 2
  • Christmas gifts graphic
    Christmas gifts graphic
    © market Institut
  • PA Weihnachtsstudie 2025_final_EN
    PA Weihnachtsstudie 2025_final_EN

Contact
Claudia Streitwieser-Schinagl (EN)
Claudia Streitwieser-Schinagl
Head of Public Relations
T +43 662 4471
M +43 664 2650 450 
E-Mail
Claudia Streitwieser-
Schinagl
Head of Public Relations

T +43 (0)662 4471-0
M +43 (0)664 2650450

CONNECT WITH US

Your contact for Public Relations

CONNECT WITH US
Sign up

You would like to receive our current press releases automatically by e-mail? Simply enter your data in our press mailing list:

Sign up

-->