MOSCOW, March 7, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study devoted to International Women’s Day.
Two-thirds of men (68%) are going to give flowers to women. The list of the most popular presents also includes perfumery, cosmetics (23%), sweets, alcohol, culinary delight (22%), as well as gift certificates (17%), souvenirs, tickets to concerts, jewellery, home appliances (10%, each). Just 7% of men recognize that they are not going to give anything for International Women’s Day.
Tour packages show a major mismatch: 38% of women would like to get a vacation package as a gift whereas only 3% of men are going to give it. A further 36% would like to get flowers. A quarter of female respondents (23%) would like to get tickets to concerts or theatres (30% of the 35-44-year-olds). The most desired presents are gift certificates (23% of women; 35% of the 18-24-year-olds), mobile phones and gadgets (16%), home appliances (14%), jewellery (13%), cars (12%) and cosmetics (11%).
The most common ways to choose a gift on March 8th are “guessing” practiced by 28% of respondents and a direct question (25%). Remarkably, the share of men who give money letting women buy what she wants has doubled over the recent seven years (10% in 2012; 20% in 2019).
VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on March 4, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
What are you going to give to your close female friends and relatives for International Women’s Day? Up to 4 answers are possible (closed-ended question, not more than 4 answers, % of men) | ||
| 2017 | 2019 |
Flowers | 65 | 68 |
Perfumery, cosmetics, bijouterie | 25 | 23 |
Sweets, alcohol, culinary delight | 16 | 22 |
Money, gift certificate | 13 | 17 |
Souvenirs (pens, notebooks, purse, etc.) | 7 | 10 |
Tickets to concerts, theatres, dinner at a restaurant | 15 | 10 |
Jewellery | 18 | 10 |
Home appliances (tea kettle, iron, coffee machine) | 7 | 10 |
Mobile phone, smartphone, gadgets | 9 | 9 |
Games, toys | 4 | 4 |
Clothes, shoes | 4 | 4 |
Tour, recreation trip | 6 | 3 |
Book | - | 2 |
Camera, video camera, TV set | 1 | 1 |
Computer | 1 | 1 |
Car | 1 | 1 |
I will not give anything to anyone | 6 | 7 |
Other | 8 | 4 |
Don’t know | 2 | 4 |
What would you like to get as a gift for International Women’s Day? (closed-ended question, up to 4 answers, % of women) | ||||||
| Women | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 and over |
Tour, recreation trip | 38 | 49 | 39 | 40 | 47 | 27 |
Flowers | 36 | 47 | 32 | 41 | 35 | 32 |
Tickets to concerts, cinema, dinner at a restaurant | 23 | 27 | 19 | 30 | 22 | 20 |
Money, gift certificate | 23 | 35 | 30 | 27 | 20 | 15 |
Mobile phone, smartphone, gadgets | 16 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 20 |
Home appliances (tea kettle, iron, coffee machine) | 14 | 19 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 11 |
Jewellery | 13 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 14 | 2 |
Car | 12 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 9 | 6 |
Perfumery, cosmetics, bijouterie | 11 | 27 | 15 | 18 | 6 | 6 |
Camera, video camera, TV set | 8 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
Computer | 8 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
Book | 8 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 8 |
Alcohol, sweets, culinary delight | 6 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 6 |
Clothes, shoes | 5 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
Games, toys | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Apartment* | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Souvenirs (pens, notebooks, purse, etc.) | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Attention of the family* | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Health* | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
I do not want to get anything | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
Other | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Don’t know | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
*The data are based on coding of answers given by respondents who opted for “other” and cited something which was not included in the list of answer options. The “other” represents the share of respondents who chose this option but did not provide substantive answers.
How do you often choose what to give to women to celebrate International Women’s Day? (closed-ended question, not more than 3 answers, % of men) | |||
| 2011 | 2017 | 2019 |
I try to guess what she might want to get | 32 | 29 | 28 |
I directly ask what she needs | 28 | 25 | 25 |
I give money letting her buy what she wants | 10 | 19 | 20 |
I buy what I have enough money for | 20 | 17 | 20 |
I give a standard set made of flowers, sweets and perfumery | 20 | 17 | 18 |
I ask friends and relatives for advice | 8 | 10 | 8 |
I give what I have or what I have previously received | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Normally I do not give gifts for March 8th | 8 | 4 | 4 |
Don’t know | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!