Holiday Season 2025

The 2025 Christmas season not only brought revenue, but also revealed a fundamental shift in consumer timing and priorities. Total Tech & Durables revenue reached €27.36 billion in the core EU markets and Brazil, representing a moderate increase of +0.4 percent compared with the previous year. The real insight, however, lies in when consumers made their purchases. This year, the buying wave began earlier than ever before, with strong activity as early as mid-November, well ahead of the traditional peak periods around Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Black Friday dominates

Black Friday week dominated with an increase of 225 percent compared with an average week* in 2025, closely followed by Cyber Monday. However, the early surge means that retailers who waited until the end of November missed important opportunities. “For retailers, it is crucial to understand the dynamics within this period – those who act too late miss out on revenue potential,” emphasizes Jan Lorbach, Senior Director Global Strategic Insights at NielsenIQ.

Product trends tell another story: lifestyle-oriented categories saw a boom. For example, revenue from AR/VR glasses increased by 273 percent compared with an average week*, while essential items such as washing machines recorded far smaller gains compared with an average week*. This underscores the importance of aspirational purchases during promotional periods compared with purely functional replacement purchases.

The implications for manufacturers and retailers

For manufacturers and retailers, the implications are clear: success now depends on early engagement and strategic assortment planning. Promotions should focus on desirable categories and premium products, while flexible pricing ensures competitiveness throughout the entire season, which is continuing to shift further forward. The Christmas period is not a short sprint, but a marathon that begins weeks earlier, and those who adapt to it will stay ahead.

*An average week refers to the sum of all weeks divided by 52

NIQ Sales Tracking, countries: Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, Czech Republic, Hungary and Brazil; B2C retail; all technical devices and durable goods (“Tech & Durables”)