Holiday Budgets Rebound as Black Friday Gains Ground in France
The French appear determined not to sacrifice Christmas, despite rising prices and ongoing uncertainty. The average budget for the holiday season is climbing again—up 3% for gifts and 8% for Christmas dinner—according to a Havas Market study released Tuesday, October 27. This result, based on a survey conducted with Cortex (Havas) and YouGov among a sample of 1,004 French people celebrating Christmas, is closely linked to inflationary pressure: inflation rose 3% year-on-year in September according to Insee, France's national statistics agency, and the government is forecasting a 2.1% increase for the year.
In 2025, the average gift budget tracked by this study had dropped 8.3% to 245 euros. For 2026, the average is up to 252 euros—higher than last year, but still below 2023 and 2024 levels. This increase should not obscure the fact that 43% of survey participants plan to spend less than 200 euros on gifts.
These rising average budgets (252 euros for gifts, 180 euros for Christmas dinner) also come with a greater willingness to use credit, which has doubled in a year: 14% of respondents are considering borrowing money for the holidays (compared to 7% in 2025). Nearly one in three French people say they plan to use deferred or installment payments (up 7 points).
Maximizing with Black Friday and AI
This determination to keep the holidays festive goes hand in hand with stricter budget management. Eight out of ten consumers plan to change their habits to optimize their spending.
Specifically, to save Christmas, consumers are shopping earlier to "hunt down every promotion," the study authors explain. 27% of respondents say they plan to buy their gifts during Black Friday. That's up 6 points in a year, and more than double the rate in 2021, making November "a key month for brands."
AI is also among the optimization tools, but especially for those under 35: 61% of this age group plan to use it or have already used it for Christmas shopping or inspiration. That's up 13 points from 2025. The main goal? Finding the best deals and prices. Nearly one in two say they're ready to let AI handle some or all of their shopping—16 points higher than last year.
However, for the population as a whole, a majority (58%) remain reluctant and say they don't want to use AI for the holiday season. The main reason? "I don't see the point," say 69% of those who don't plan to use AI.
One key point: brand online stores are gaining ground, with 47% of online shoppers planning to buy directly from brand websites (up 12 points). This may be a sign of stronger redirection by AI, the study authors note.
It's also worth noting that social media shopping options are gaining traction for the holidays: 16% use them for inspiration, and 7% buy directly through them (up 3 points vs 2025).
The Havas Market study on French consumer behavior ahead of the 2026 holiday season is available at this link.
This article was automatically translated from French. Read the original version: https://www.journaldunet.com/retail/1557155-fetes-de-fin-d-annee-les-budgets-repartent-a-la-hausse-le-black-friday-gagne-du-terrain/