As retailers head into peak season, one thing is clear: Christmas 2025 will be defined by value. According to new BHN research, eight in ten UK shoppers (82%) say they plan to use promotions such as BOGOF deals to make their festive budgets go further. For retailers, this signals a decisive shift – promotions are no longer just a conversion tool, but a crucial lever of customer acquisition, loyalty, and channel choice.
The Rise of the Promotion-First Shopper
Almost half of shoppers (47%) plan to use buy now, pay later services or earn-a-gift-card incentives, demonstrating that consumers increasingly expect value in multiple forms. It’s not just price cuts they’re expecting, but layered rewards that stack across channels.
In short, shoppers aren’t just looking for a good deal. They’re strategically planning how to maximise value across every purchase, from food to gifts to fuel.
The top promotional tactics consumers plan to use show just how intentional and deal-driven this year’s shopping behaviour is:
- Promotions (e.g., BOGOF) – 82%
- Deals on frequently bought products – 81%
- Discounts – 77%
- Coupons – 72%
- Rebates – 70%
- Loyalty point offers – 70%
- Cashing in loyalty points – 67%
- Fuel discounts – 52%
- Cashback apps/websites – 52%
- Earning money off fuel through purchases – 50%
Younger Consumers Are Rewiring Promotion Discovery
There’s a major shift that sits beneath this value-seeking behaviour: younger consumers are discovering deals in completely different ways.
Gen Z and Millennials are unsurprisingly relying on digital or third-party channels.
This shift matters. Younger buyers are no longer waiting for retailers to communicate value – they’re outsourcing deal discovery to platforms, communities, and even AI.
Meanwhile, older shoppers remain more influenced by traditional in-store flyers and catalogues (41% vs. 32% for younger consumers), meaning any retailer hoping to capture multiple generations needs a truly omnichannel promotional strategy.
Data shows what channels consumers plan to use to find Christmas deals.
| Channel | Younger shoppers | Older shoppers | Difference |
| Social media posts | 29% | 11% | +18% |
| Coupon websites | 23% | 12% | +11% |
| Cashback apps | 17% | 8% | +9% |
| Deal forums | 14% | 5% | +9% |
| AI deal notifications | 12% | 6% | +6% |
The Christmas Creep: Promotions Must Start Earlier
The data also suggests that the traditional rhythm of festive retail has fundamentally changed:
- 31% of shoppers plan to complete their Christmas shopping before
Rising prices and constrained household budgets are pushing consumers to shop earlier and more strategically, seeking out “value moments” wherever they can find them.
For retailers, this means:
- Promotions need to be front-loaded, not back-loaded into December.
- Loyalty schemes should reward early spend, not just peak-period activity.
- AI-driven or personalised offers will play a greater role in securing early share of wallet.
Peak season has become a marathon, not a sprint, and shoppers are pacing themselves accordingly.
What This Means for Retailers this Christmas and Beyond
Across the board, the research points to a retail landscape that is fiercely value-led, digitally fragmented, and increasingly shaped by customer expectations for flexibility and choice.
Retailers who win this Christmas will be those who:
1. Integrate layered value across channels
Shoppers are no longer satisfied with a single discount, they want promotions that stack, compound, and reward behaviour across loyalty, cashback, and payment incentives.
2. Modernise promotion discovery
With Gen Z discovering deals through social, AI tools, cashback platforms, and forums, retailers need to ensure promotions travel beyond owned channels.
3. Bring campaigns forward
Early planners will lock in value weeks before mid-December hits. The brands that show up early will capture that spend.
4. Maintain a balanced strategy for all age groups
While younger shoppers rely heavily on digital discovery, older consumers still respond more to in-store signage, leaflets, and catalogues. Retailers must meet both where they are.
Looking Ahead
Christmas 2025 won’t simply be about cutting prices, it will be about meeting customers where they seek value and rewarding them in the ways that matter most. The retailers who understand the nuances behind how different demographics search, plan, and purchase will be the ones who deliver not only a strong peak season, but long-term loyalty.
By Anna Uprichard, Vice President of Commerce, BHN (owners of One4all Rewards)
Data source: BHN & One4all Rewards 2025 Holiday Branded Pay Study of 1,000 UK consumers aged 18 and over.