One in Three Irish Consumers Would Regift Unwanted Christmas Presents Without Receipt
One in three would regift unwanted Christmas presents without a receipt, CCPC research shows. 42% never include gift receipts when giving presents.
New research from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission reveals that 32% of consumers would regift an unwanted Christmas present if they didn't have a receipt, while 42% of people never include a gift receipt when giving presents at Christmas.
The CCPC survey, conducted in October 2025, found significant differences in how people handle unwanted gifts. Men are almost twice as likely as women to simply use an unwanted gift (19% versus 10%), whilst only 5% of consumers would ask for a receipt to exchange something they don't want.
The research showed that 17% of consumers are likely to donate unwanted gifts to charity or fundraising events, with those aged 55 and over three times more likely to donate than those under 35 (24% versus 7%). However, 10% of consumers will either leave an unwanted gift unopened in storage or dump it entirely.
Grainne Griffin, director of communications at the CCPC, said:
"While over half of consumers said they include a gift receipt at least some of the time, that still leaves a significant number who never include a receipt. This makes it harder to return or exchange unwanted gifts and can leave many unsure about what to do with their unwanted presents."
The CCPC emphasized that whilst Irish consumers have strong rights when something goes wrong with a purchase, these protections do not extend to unwanted gifts. For gifts bought online, consumers have a right to cancel within 14 days, but this period begins when the gift is delivered by the retailer, not when it's given as a present.
Many stores operate returns policies allowing gifts to be returned, with some offering extended return periods throughout January, but proof of purchase is typically required.
Irish consumers are protected for up to six years after buying a faulty good, with the original retailer responsible for resolving the issue. These rights are strongest in the first 30 days and first year after purchase.
Griffin added:
"Since our pre-Christmas research showed that almost a quarter of consumers still had unused vouchers from nearly a year ago, we're strongly advising anyone who has received a gift voucher this year to make a plan to spend it as early as possible."
The survey of 1,012 people was conducted by Ipsos B&A through telephone interviews between 16th and 31st October 2025.
