Retail Occasions Series: UK Valentine's Day 2026

PUBLISHED: March 6, 2026

PAGES: 104 Pages

DELIVERY TIME: 1-2 business days

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The UK Valentine's Day 2026 report forms part of the Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive overview of the major retail occasion of Valentine's Day. The report analyses the market, the major players, the main trends and consumer attitudes.

This year, overall retail penetration slowed as consumers prioritised quality time. While fewer consumers are purchasing food & drink for the occasion, gifting has grown in poularity, driven by the increasing share of Valentine's Day shoppers spending on non-romantic relationships.

Scope

The proportion of consumers participating in the occasion has risen
Gifting popularity has grown for the second consecutive year, with 6 out of 10 Valentine's Day shoppers purchasing this category in 2026
Spending on leisure reached its highest level since 2021 as consumers prioritise experiences and dining out.

Reasons to Buy

Identify the key retailers used by consumers to purchase Valentine's Day products across various categories, and what drives consumers to shop with these retailers.
Understand the most popular Valentine's Day categories shopped for by consumers in 2026.
Understand which channels used by consumers are the most popular when shopping for Valentine's Day products.

Product Code: GDRT260005OC

KEY FINDINGS

Summary of Valentine's Day 2026
The key findings
Retail penetration slows this Valentine's Day as consumers prioritise quality time
Valentine's Day shoppers increasingly spend on non-romantic relationships
Tesco and Amazon deliver uneven performance this Valentine's Day
Trend insight - stores
Trend insight - online

CONSUMER ATTITUDES

Buying dynamics
Financial wellbeing
Valentine's Day spending
Financing spending
Who shoppers bought for
Valentine's Day activities
Meal choices
Valentine's Day statements
Retailer selection
Retailer ratings - grocers
Retailer ratings - non-food retailers
Retailer drivers by category
Secondhand Valentine's Day items

FOOD & DRINK

Buying dynamics
Retailer selection
Channel usage
Store type
Device usage
Fulfilment
Spending
Buying dynamics

GIFTING

Buying dynamics
Retailer selection
Channel usage
Store type
Device usage
Fulfilment
Spending
Buying dynamics
Planned/Impulse Purchases
Personalisation

CARDS & GIFT WRAP

Buying dynamics
Retailer selection
Channel usage
Store type
Device usage
Fulfilment
Spending
Buying dynamics
Planned/Impulse Purchases
Personalisation

METHODOLOGY

Technical details: Consumer survey work
Technical details: Definitions

Product Code: GDRT260005OC

List of Table

List of Tables

Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2026
Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2026
Products purchased secondhand by Valentine's Day secondhand shoppers, 2026
Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for Valentine's Day food & drink, 2025 to 2026
Percentage point change - top 10 retailers most shopped at for Valentine's Day food & drink, 2025 to 2026
Percentage point change - top 10 retailers consumers switched to for Valentine's Day food & drink, 2025 to 2026
Items purchased, sweet Items, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, meat & meat-free alternatives, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, alcoholic beverages, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, fruit & vegetables, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, breakfast foods, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, frozen foods, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, ready meals, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, non-alcoholic drinks, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, fish, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, delicatessen Items, 2025 & 2026
Categories bought on impulse by food & drink shoppers, 2025 & 2026
Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for Valentine's Day gifts, 2025 to 2026
Items purchased, food & drink gifts, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, food & drink gifts, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, flowers & plants, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, flowers & plants, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, fine jewellery & watches, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, fine jewellery & watches, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, clothing, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, clothing, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, accessories & footwear, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, accessories & footwear, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, health & beauty, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, health & beauty, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, soft toys, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, soft toys, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, experiences, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, homewares, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, homewares, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, entertainment, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, entertainment, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, stationery, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, stationery, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, vouchers & money, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, electricals, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, electricals, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, books, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, books, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, sports, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, sports, 2025 & 2026
Gift categories bought on impulse, 2025 & 2026
Gift categories personalised, 2025 & 2026
Average spend on cards & gift wrap, 2025 & 2026
Percentage point change - top 10 retailers shopped at for Valentine's Day cards & gift wrap, 2025 to 2026
Items purchased, cards, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, cards, 2025 & 2026
Items purchased, gift wrap, 2025 & 2026
Retailers used, gift wrap, 2025 & 2026
Cards & gift wrap categories bought on impulse, 2025 & 2026

List of Figure

List of Figures

Valentine's Day shopper penetration (2020-2026)
Top 5 Valentine's Day item recipients (2026)
Most popular dining in choices (2026)
Highest rated retailers (2026)
Most purchased Valentine's Day gifting categories (2026)
Top 5 retailers shopped at for cards & gift wrap (2026)
Valentine's Day participation penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic & region (2026)
Valentine's Day shopper penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic & region (2026)
Valentine's Day shopper profile, 2026
Valentine's Day retail penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic & region (2026)
Valentine's Day leisure penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic & region (2026)
Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2025 & 2026
Valentine's Day spending compared to last year, 2025 & 2026
How consumers financed Valentine's Day spending, 2025 & 2026
How consumers split Valentine's Day spending between retail & leisure, 2026 & ppt change on 2025
Who consumers spent money on for Valentine's Day, 2025 & 2026
Valentine's Day activities undertaken, 2026 & ppt change on 2025
Valentine's Day dining out meal choices, 2025 & 2026
Valentine's Day takeaway cuisines, 2025 & 2026
Valentine's Day dining in choices, 2025 & 2026
Agreement and disagreement with statements about Valentine's Day 2026, and change on 2025
Which retailer did the best job of promoting or communicating deals for Valentine's Day 2026, and change on 2025
What's driving retailer selection - summary, 2026
Valentine's Day secondhand purchase penetration, total and by demographic & region, 2026
Reasons for shopping secondhand, 2026
Reasons for not shopping secondhand, 2026
Food & drink overall penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic & region (2026)
Retailers shopped at for food & drink, 2025 & 2026
Retailers most shopped at for food & drink, 2025 & 2026
What's driving food & drink retailer selection 2026, and ppt change on 2025
Consumers switching from their usual main food & drink retailer, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Retailers consumers switched to, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each channel for food & drink, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each physical store type for food & drink, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each device for food & drink purchases, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each fulfilment option for food & drink, 2025 & 2026
Valentine's Day food & drink average spend by retailer 2026, and value change on 2025
Sweet products penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Meat & meat-free alternatives penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Alcoholic beverages penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Fruit & vegetables penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Breakfast foods penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Frozen foods penetration, total (2025 & 2026) and by demograohic (2026)
Ready meals penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Non-alcoholic drinks penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Fish penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Delicatessen products penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Planned/impulse purchases, food & drink, 2026
Gifting overall penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Retailers shopped at for gifts, 2025 & 2026
What's driving gifts retailer selection 2026, and ppt change on 2025
Consumers using each channel for gifts, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each physical store type for gifts, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each device for gifts purchases, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each fulfilment option for gifts, 2025 & 2026
Valentine's Day gifts average spend 2026, and value change on 2025
Food & drink gifts penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Flowers & plants penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Fine jewellery & watches penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Clothing penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Accessories & footwear penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Health & beauty penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Soft toys penetration, 2026 (by demographic) and 2024 & 2025 penetration
Experience gifts penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Homewares penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Entertainment penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Stationery penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Vouchers & money penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Electricals penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Books penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Sports penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Planned/impulse gift purchases, 2026
Personalised gift purchases, 2026
Cards & gift wrap penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Retailers shopped at for cards & gift wrap, 2025 & 2026
What's driving cards and gift wrap retailer selection 2026, and ppt change on 2025
Consumers using each channel for cards & gift wrap, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each physical store type for cards & gift wrap, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each device for cards & gift wrap purchases, 2025 & 2026
Consumers using each fulfilment option for cards & gift wrap, 2025 & 2026
Cards penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Gift wrap penetration, total (2024, 2025 & 2026) and by demographic (2026)
Planned/impulse cards & gift wrap purchases, 2026
Personalised cards purchases, 2026
Was the ability to personalise the card an important factor in choosing which retailer to purchase from? (2026)