Gift packs with our favourite brands

Nikolett Szőke
brand manager
Unilever Magyarország

Nikolett Szőke, Unilever Magyarország Kft.’s brand manager believes that the success of Christmas gift packs depends on brand, price and the type/format of products in the pack. The top sets typically contain 2-3 products, a shower gel and deodorant/antiperspirant. “Among retail channels it is still drugstores and hypermarkets that realise the majority of sales. As for the different price segments, Unilever’s experience is that HUF 1,000-2,000 gift packs have the biggest market share, but sales of premium packs costing more than HUF 4,000 are also increasing” – Ms Szőke informed.

Nóra Fehér
assortment manager
dm

Nóra Fehér, dm Kft.’s assortment manager told Trade magazin that most of the Christmas gift packs are bought as a planned purchase, only a quarter is so-called impulse buying. “There was a change in the order of buying decision-making factors in 2021. Price and the composition of products in the pack is the number one now, followed by the brand.”

Zsófia Gózon-Karajz
trade marketing manager
L’Oréal Magyarország

Zsófia Gózon-Karajz, L’Oréal Magyarország Kft.s trade marketing manager: “In the current economic climate, characterised by high inflation rate and rising energy prices, it can’t really be told whether the gift pack market will go in a positive or negative direction.” Henkel Magyarország Kft. is preparing for this season with a simplified version of its formerly massive Christmas gift pack portfolio, with a bigger focus on the premium, sustainable segment than before.

Rebeka Novák
senior brand manager
Henkel Magyarország

Senior brand manager Rebeka Novák: “We think that these changes will make even more consumers choose our gift packs before Christmas.”

An extra gift in the gift pack

In 2021 demand kept growing for Advent calendars and more expensive beauty product packs in dm drugstores. Packs for women are responsible for nearly 50% of sales. Brand loyalty is very important when shoppers choose which Christmas gift pack to buy. Dm offers a large selection of these – there are traditional, innovative and trendy packs, and every year Hungarian brands get the chance to introduce themselves. Packs that come with an extra gift are especially popular.

Unilever Magyarország Kft.’s observation is that women above the age of 50 years are the biggest buyers of Christmas gift packs. Those packs sell the best that have fundamentally strong format or product variants. Every year the company offers something new to gift pack buyers, so several sets with new innovations appear on store shelves before Christmas.

Henkel Magyarország Kft. shares the view that one of the most exciting segments of the Christmas market is premium gift packs with an extra gift. Henkel makes sure to put in an extra gift that suits the brand really well, in terms of both positioning and image, by this creating extra value for the customer. L’Oréal Magyarország Kft.’s policy is to achieve a balance when compiling the gift packs, so iconic products are put in the set with the most successful new innovations. Advent calendars are very popular and this year the Garnier brand will come out with one in the sheet mask segment.

The last season, price and product composition were the most important factors influencing shopping 

Iconic and innovative

Last year dm drugstores were waiting for shoppers with no less than 250 Christmas gift packs, and this season won’t be different. From 2022 the full selection will be available in the dm online shop too. Shoppers can choose from a bigger selection of Advent calendars and tea packs. There will also be more packs containing dm’s private label products, as they are very popular. Unilever Magyarország Kft. has prepared an exciting new portfolio for 2022, with a new design for each brand, lots of innovations, new packaging solutions and gifts. The gift packs are available in several price segments, and their online presence will get special attention this year.

It is mainly women who tend to give Christmas gift pack as a present

Henkel Magyarország Kft. has started an exciting cooperation between Syoss and About You. Fashion has always been important for the Syoss brand, and now those who receive a gift pack as a Christmas present can use the About You coupons in them to purchase clothes and accessories with a discount. L’Oréal Magyarország Kft. will not only put its iconic gift packs on store shelves, as this year’s most successful new innovations will also show up in Christmas sets, such as the Elseve hyaluron plump range. L’Oréal Paris gift packs got a uniform new look, irrespective of category or product range – this wasn’t the case in former years, so the company hopes the stylish Christmas look will attract many shoppers. //

This article is available for reading on pp 39-41 of Trade magazin 2022.08-09.