B2B gift card and voucher sales in 2011 exceeded B2C for the first time since records began, according to the latest statistics from The UK Gift Card & Voucher Association (UKGCVA), the trade body representing the key players in the £4 billion gift voucher, cards and stored value solutions market.
The report, compiled independently by consultants at Ernst & Young, shows just how significant the corporate sector has become to the gift card and voucher industry, with sales of £2.18bn, compared to that of £2bn in consumer sales. Furthermore, vouchers purchased online by the corporate sector increased by a staggering 231% during 2011, which also reflects the popularity of multichannel purchasing.
Andrew Johnson, director-general of the UKGCVA, comments:
“Recent corporate sales figures of £2.18bn demonstrate a real boost to the gift card and voucher market. Consumer sales have always previously outshone business sales, so it is great to see that corporates are engaging with the industry and as a result, engaging with their employees in the use of gift cards and vouchers to ensure company motivation and satisfaction.”
