Gift-card intentions hold steady

Deloitte’s category chart asks what shoppers plan to buy as gifts. Its gift-card result describes the share selecting that category, rather than the share of their budget allocated to cards. A respondent can plan to buy several kinds of gifts. [S02]

Source

Deloitte 2026 Holiday Retail Survey

Purchase intentions, not actual sales or spending shares. The 2026 figure displays a base of 3,700; the reprinted 2025 comparison does not establish an identical sample or panel. Rounded percentages do not show a change.

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Gift cards remain in 54% of holiday purchase plans (%)
Category	Share of respondents
2025 comparison	54%
2026 survey	54%

For card issuers and distributors, the unchanged percentage offers no evidence of growth in the number of buyers, value loaded or revenue. Those outcomes would depend on completed purchases and the amounts customers choose. A stable participation rate can coexist with changes in spending per buyer.

Deloitte, a professional-services firm, presents the research as part of its holiday retail outlook. The overall US study used an independent online panel of 4,000 consumers, fielded from August 26 to September 10, 2026, and described as nationally representative. The gift-category figure identifies a

Gift cards feature in 54% of US shoppers’ holiday purchase plans in Deloitte ’s 2026 Holiday Retail Survey, matching the 54% comparison for 2025. The study, announced on October 15, points to a stable place for cards in the intended gift mix. [S01][S02] Gift-card intentions hold steady Deloitte’s category chart asks what shoppers plan to buy as gifts. Its gift-card result describes the share selecting that category, rather than the share of their budget allocated to cards. A respondent can plan to buy several kinds of gifts. [S02] Gift cards remain in 54% of holiday purchase plans Deloitte’s reported US gift-category percentages for the two annual comparisons. Share of respondents 2025 comparison: 54 % 2026 survey: 54 % Purchase intentions, not actual sales or spending shares. The 2026 figure displays a base of 3,700; the reprinted 2025 comparison does not establish an identical sample or panel. Rounded percentages do not show a change. Deloitte 2026 Holiday Retail Survey For card issuers and distributors, the unchanged percentage offers no evidence of growth in the number of buyers, value loaded or revenue. Those outcomes would depend on completed purchases and the amounts customers choose. A stable participation rate can coexist with changes in spending per buyer. Deloitte, a professional-services firm, presents the research as part of its holiday retail outlook. The overall US study used an independent online panel of 4,000 consumers, fielded from August 26 to September 10, 2026, and described as nationally representative. The gift-category figure identifies a

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