Public vote for traditional Christmas

Shopping Experience Wards Off Online Purchases and Congestion Issues

Traffic congestion in Belfast has been a major topic of debate recently, which is only likely to get worse as we enter the festive season, but it doesn’t seem to be putting shoppers off.

A new survey from insurance and savings experts at CompareNI.com, revealed 25% still prefer to visit the shops, with 54% saying they tend to do a mix of traditional in-store shopping and online – only 20% say they do their Christmas shopping mostly online.

Interestingly, 73% said the effects of covid have not changed how they feel about where they do their Christmas shopping.

With a third of people travelling between 10-20 miles to do so and 82% admitting it takes them more than one trip to find all their presents – a boost of repeat visitors, and traffic, is likely as major towns and cities across Northern Ireland prepare for the festivities.

With that said, CompareNI has created money saving tips for drivers to help offset the cost of the extra mileage and congestion affecting fuel tanks this Christmas.

CompareNI Savings Tips:

1.Drive economically

Driving your car more economical can help towards a 10% reduction in your weekly fuel costs.*

2.Plan out lower cost petrol stations

You could save over £100 a year just from checking ahead and stopping at cheaper petrol stations.**

3.Reduce vehicle weight

Every additional 45kg your car carries reduces fuel economy by 2%. Simply driving with an empty roof box or keeping your boot full of clutter can drain your fuel.***

4.Wash your car

The car’s cleanliness impacts how aerodynamic it is. Little to no debris on your car means it can travel much more efficiently.****

5. Boost your fuel economy

By ensuring your tyres are properly inflated and in good working order you could boost your fuel economy by up to 3%.*****

6. Take more public transport

When asked if they would tend to take more public transport during the festive season 17% of shoppers said yes by travelling by bus, 12% said yes by taxi, 10% by train and 2% by glider.

Insurance expert and Managing Director of CompareNI.com, Northern Ireland’s largest insurance comparison site, Ian Wilson, said: “It’s great to see people still enjoy the traditional Christmas shopping experience. With the start of the Continental Market on November 16th and the traditional light switch on ceremonies across Northern Ireland ringing in the start of the festive season.

“With the added mileage and possible traffic congestion ahead of many shoppers, we’ve researched some tips on how people can find savings and make their fuel go further this Christmas.

“Simple things like driving economically, reducing the weight of the car and planning the trip ahead to include the cheapest petrol stations, can all help keep costs down.”

CompareNI.com helps households across Northern Ireland compare and find savings on everyday household bills, car insurance and essentials – with a rewards platform that can help shoppers save up to £700 a year on big name stores.** 

References:

SURVEY – CompareNI.com’s findings are based on a randomised survey of 1,000 respondents across the UK during November 2024, which represents a margin of error of approximately 5% at a 95% confidence level.

Tips references:

https://www.saga.co.uk/saga-money-news/the-latest-ways-to-save-money-when-driving
**https://www.thesun.co.uk/motors/21915733/map-reveals-save-planning-petrol-visits/
***https://www.racfoundation.org/assets/rac_foundation/content/downloadables/eco-driving.pdf
**** https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/23880362.uk-drivers-can-save-200-year-fuel-expert-tip/
*****https://afdc.energy.gov/conserve/driving-behavior