Valentine's Day top spending cities revealed

Research shows Leeds is one of the least romantic cities

Published 14th Feb 2022

Leeds has been revealed as one of the least “romantic” cities in the UK.

Research from data company, Emarsys listed the top five cities that spent money on Valentine’s Day.

The research showed that the average Brit spends just over £51 on presents for their loved ones.

The top Valentine's Day spenders are:

1. Newcastle – £131.31


2. Manchester – £96.05


3. Plymouth – £93.12


4. Belfast – £83.47


5. Edinburgh – £72.74


Newcastle, Manchester, Plymouth, Belfast and Edinburgh have been named as the top spenders, whereas Sheffield, Glasgow, Southampton, Leeds and Nottingham spend the least.

Furthermore, Emarsys data showed that men spend twice as much as women on gifts. The data showed that men spend on average £66 compared to £33 for women. Surprisingly, the data also revealed that 16–24-year-olds spend more than the national average, spending £74 on gifts.

Lockdown and Romance

Lockdown accelerated romance, according to data from Emarsys.

More than 4.5 million people in the UK hired wedding venues during the pandemic. In addition, 1.9 million wedding dresses and 1.6 million engagement rings were brought during lockdown. Brits also bought just over five million romantic hot tub for two.

The data also revealed that 20% admitted to being concerned about overconsumption and that 17% of shoppers wanted to buy more sustainable gifts.

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