GumGum, a contextual-first, global digital advertising platform, has released new findings from its 2025 Global Holiday Shopping Survey of 3,000 consumers across Australia, the US, UK, Canada, Germany and Belgium, revealing that Australian shoppers are approaching this festive season with financial caution, but without losing their holiday spirit.
According to the global report, 63% of Australians plan to reduce their holiday spending. Nearly a quarter (21%) intend to spend less than $200, while one in three (33%) plan to spend between $200-$500, and 26% will allocate $500-$1,000 toward gifts and celebrations.
Despite these cutbacks, Aussies are still remaining in a festive frame of mind. Generally, they are choosing to focus on what matters most with 43% ranking gifts as their top spending priority, followed closely by travel (25%), and food and drink (23%).
Shopping habits are also evolving with 72% of Australians planning to shop across both online and in-store channels, while just 8% will shop exclusively online.
When it comes to what’s being cut, holiday decorations sit firmly at the top of the list, with 33% saying it would be the first expense to go if they needed to reduce spending.
“Aussie shoppers are financially prudent but still deeply value the moments that make the season special,” said Matt Coote, Managing Director, Australia, at GumGum.
“With 63% planning to spend less this year, brands will need to be more sophisticated in how they deliver the right message at the right time. Every impression needs to add value, not just create noise. This is where GumGum’s Mindset Graph can help brands understand the consumer mindset and show up when people are most receptive,” he added.
The research also revealed that while most Australians describe themselves as neutral toward holiday ads, nearly one in five say they enjoy them. And when asked about what feelings they associate with the holidays, 42% of Aussies express ‘joy’ as the primary emotion.
“It’s proof that timely, well-crafted ads still have the power to capture attention in a cluttered market. With nearly half of Aussies associating ‘joy’ with the holidays, brands that tap into that emotion and show up with messaging that matches the mindset will win. With contextual and attention-based advertising, brands can connect meaningfully, even when budgets are under pressure,” Coote added.
