- New research has revealed that one in 12 parents (8%) – an estimated 660,000 families¹ nationwide – are considering charity donation schemes to ensure their children have presents this Christmas.
- Over four in five parents (82%) report pressure over the financial burden of gift-buying, with one in eight (12%) – nearly one million across the UK² – planning to dip into emergency savings to afford gifts.
- Findings come as toy donation boxes land in all 1,000+ Lidl stores for its biggest-ever Christmas Toy Bank appeal.
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To help ease the squeeze on seasonal shopping, Lidl is also offering financial support to shoppers in the form of 250 x £100 vouchers.
New research from Lidl GB has revealed the extent of the financial pressure facing UK parents, with one in 12 (8%) – equivalent to an estimated 660,000 families¹ – considering turning to charity donation schemes to ensure their children have presents to open on Christmas morning.
This is reflective of a wider struggle to balance festive expectations with household budgets. More than four in five British parents (82%) are feeling significant pressure over the financial burden of gift-buying, with nearly one million² (12%) having to raid emergency savings to cover Christmas costs.
For many, that concern extends to those around them. Over two thirds of parents (69%) say they know a friend, neighbour or relative who may struggle to afford presents for their children this Christmas.
In response, Lidl GB is bringing its biggest ever Christmas Toy Bank appeal to all 1,000+ of its stores, with dedicated donation boxes landing in stores this week to make it as easy as possible for shoppers to give a little something back to families in need in their local communities.
Now in its fourth year, the appeal invites customers to donate new, unopened toys of any brand at collection points located at the front of every Lidl store until 16th December 2026. All donations will be distributed locally across England, Scotland and Wales through the community giving platform Neighbourly, helping to bring the magic of Christmas to children who might otherwise go without.
Alongside the Toy Bank appeal, Lidl is also stepping in to help ease the squeeze on seasonal bills, rolling out £25,000 worth of festive support. Households will have the chance to win a £100 Lidl Plus coupon, which they can either put towards their own Christmas dinner and festive essentials, or extend a helping hand to a friend, neighbour or relative in the spirit of giving. To enter the Prize Draw, customers need to enter their Lidl Plus email address into the form here before midnight on Tuesday 1st December.
Georgina Hall, Director of Corporate Affairs at Lidl GB, said: “Every child deserves the excitement of waking up to presents under the tree on Christmas morning. However, we know Christmas is going to be hard for a lot of people this year and we want to do what we can to help.
“The response to our Toy Bank over the past four years has been remarkable, and even a simple gift can make a huge difference to a child on Christmas morning. Combined with our £100 vouchers, we’re giving practical, direct support to the communities we serve.”
The initiative forms part of the discounter’s seasonal community commitment, which also includes a £500,000 donation to local charities selected by store colleagues, matching a £500,000 fund allocated earlier this year via the Lidl Plus customer scheme.
*Link to the competition here and terms and conditions of the competition here. Entrants must be aged 18 years or over. Winners will be contacted via email from LidlPlusChristmasCouponPrizeDraw@promowinners.com
Detailed methodology of extrapolated stats:
Source Dataset: Office for National Statistics (ONS) Families and Households in the UK.
- Total UK families: Approximately 19.5 to 19.7 million families living in households.
- Families with dependent children: According to ONS data, 42.3% to 43.0% of all families contain one or more dependent children (children aged under 16, or aged 16–18 in full-time education).
- Total UK families with dependent children approx 8.3 to 8.4 million
¹ 660,000 families nationwide are considering using charity donation schemes
- Research Finding: 8% of surveyed parents stated they are considering turning to donation schemes this year (reported as “8%”).
- Gross Calculation (by family/household unit): 8,300,000 x 0.08 = 664,000 families
- Conservative round-down for news copy: ~660,000 families
² 12% – equivalent to nearly one million parents across the UK – having to raid emergency savings to cover Christmas costs
- Research Finding: 12% of surveyed parents stated they are having to raid emergency savings to afford Christmas presents.
- Gross Calculation (by family/household unit): 8,300,000 x 0.12 = 996,000 families
- Conservative round-down for news copy: ~990,000 parents/families (or “nearly 1 million parents across the UK”).
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