Consumers 'to spend £53 billion for Christmas'
Consumers in the UK are expected to spend around £53 billion this Christmas, according to new predictions.
A study by payment association APACS estimated that the amount will be spent through the use of cards, cash and cheques, with payments on plastic expected to hit £34 billion this year.
It is also thought that around ten per cent of total consumer spending in December will be done online.
Commenting on the findings, APACS communications director Sandra Quinn said: "Whether buying the turkey or stocking fillers, we're most likely to be using our debit card to pay for them this Christmas, continuing the ongoing trend of pulling out the debit card in preference to our credit cards, cash or cheques.
"The one exception is online where we are much more likely to use our credit cards - which makes sense because of the extra consumer protection they provide."
Halifax recently urged Christmas shoppers to make sure they have the best card deals available to them in the festive period, after research found that many people may be paying over £20 in interest on their plastic.
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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