Insight: John Lewis issues trends report for wedding gift lists
As the nation prepares to celebrate the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, John Lewis has published a report on how wedding gift lists have changed since Prince William and Kate Middleton married seven years ago.
The retailer has analysed thousands and thousands of gift lists created in 2011, when Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot, and those for 2018. It found that more couples are choosing smart technology items for their lists now, instead of the more traditional choices.
Whereas in 2011 the most popular gift list product by value was a premium cutlery set, this year both the first and second places were taken by smart speakers. The most expensive wedding gift selected in 2011 was a £2,500 sofa while this year it was a £3,499 LG OLED 55-inch television.
However, plates, bowls, towels, toasters, roasting dishes and bedding still appeared on most lists in both 2011 and 2018. Items featuring on many 2018 gift lists but not on lists in 2011 included firepits, voice activated speakers, Star Wars Droids and barista-style coffee machines. John Lewis said only a few couples asked for microwaves, digital photo frames and landline telephones this year.
Tasneem Shafiq, manager of John Lewis’s Gift List Service, said: “Since 2011 the nation’s obsession with great food and cooking has continued to rise and as a result, when choosing homeware products, couples are opting for barista-style coffee machines, gourmet steamers, pasta making machines and non-fat frying pans. In 2011 they were more likely to ask for microwaves, woks and slow cookers. Not only have cooking choices changed but also how we eat. In 2011 more plates were given as gifts than any other product but now the most-bought gift is a bowl.”
John Lewis revealed that more couples are asking for honeymoon and charity donations instead of traditional gifts these days. Requests for Kuoni honeymoon contributions have increased 375% since 2011 and the number of couples asking for charity donations has nearly tripled.
Here is a comparison of John Lewis gift lists across the years:
| 2011 | 2018 |
| HOME & TECH | |
| Smart speakers | Hi-Fi systems |
| Soundbars | DVD players |
| Smart thermostats | Landline telephones |
| Voice actvated speakers | FM radios |
| Firepits | Digital photo frames |
| Star Wars Droids | Digital cameras |
| COOK | |
| Eaziglide non fat frying pans | Woks |
| Steamer pot sets | Microwaves |
| Pasta machines | Slow cookers |
| Barista coffee machines | Espresso machines |
