One click for happiness: nine out of ten Hungarians are impulse buyers

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 06. 23. 11:06

A fifth of Hungarians regularly buy products that they did not plan in advance, according to MediaMarkt’s latest, nationally representative research. It is particularly typical of the younger generation that purchasing decisions are shaped by moods and external stimuli, rather than conscious plans.

According to the research, impulse buying is clearly a generational phenomenon: while 16% of those under 30 are “seduced” by an unplanned product several times a week, this rate is only 6% for those over 50. Overall, 15% of the Hungarian population makes impulse purchases at least once a month, while 10% do so on a weekly basis.

I didn’t plan, but a sale came along…

The most common reasons for purchasing decisions are good value for money (62%) and sales (52%). Every third impulse purchase is made as a result of a discount offer. This is followed by positive emotions (17%) – happiness, reward, excitement – and last but not least, stress (11%). Women are more likely to make “stress purchases”, while boredom is also a significant factor for men.

Is the digital space a hotbed of temptation?

Although we would think that the vast majority of impulse purchases today take place online, a significant majority of respondents (28%) still indicated that physical stores were the most common location. This is closely followed by online stores (24%), and only a few percent of respondents admitted that they would make a quick decision on social media platforms. More than half of 16-29 year olds admitted that they often order online without planning in advance.

What do we buy on impulse?

According to the survey, kitchen appliances are the most popular impulse purchases: almost a fifth of respondents (19%) said that a good-looking air fryer or coffee maker could easily tempt them, even if it costs a larger amount. Technology accessories are also popular, such as smartwatches, wireless headphones or power banks (17%), and consumer electronics (13%), such as Bluetooth speakers or TVs. Among the younger generation – especially those under 30 – gaming accessories and smart home devices are also a common “weak point”. At the same time, every third person (29%) says that they only spend on more expensive technical items consciously, not impulsively – meaning that for many, reason still overrides sudden desires.