# 60 million Christmas presents could be wasted this year, survey shows

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/11/30/60m-christmas-presents-wasted-year-survey-shows/
- Published: 2018-11-30T07:44:11+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**60 million presents could be wasted in the UK this year, according to a survey
from YouGov, with Send a Cow calling for people to give more meaningful gifts instead.**

The survey questioned 2,000 people in October and found that millions of pounds 
are wasted on unwanted gifts. Over half (57%) of people in the UK who celebrate 
Christmas receive at least one unwanted gift on average at this time of year, with
37% claiming they would be happy to receive a charitable donation as a present.

The survey revealed that at least £380 million is spent on Christmas presents for
friends. Nearly half (48%) admitted they struggle to find good presents for their
family and friends and bath products topped the given list of the nation’s least
loved Christmas presents.

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Top unwanted Christmas gifts:

 1. Bath products (38%)
 2. A film / boxset (18%)
 3. Candles (16%)
 4. Chocolate (16%)
 5. Socks (14%)

[Send a Cow](https://www.sendacow.org/) is calling for people to give more meaningful
gifts this Christmas instead.

Send a Cow Ambassador Ben Aldridge said:

> “This Christmas, we are calling on people everywhere to donate to charities like
> Send a Cow instead of spending their money on unwanted Christmas presents. My 
> family is abolishing present giving between the adults in favour of redirecting
> that money towards causes that really need it. I don’t need any more novelty socks
> or cheap stocking fillers! The money wasted on those things could actually make
> a huge impact elsewhere.”

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