It’s in the bag: shoppers shun wrapping paper this Christmas
Supermarket chain Tesco has reported that the demand for wrapping paper has dropped by 17% in recent years.
But rather than indicating that people are buying fewer presents, the company has also experienced a 62% rise in demand for gift bags at its stores in Ireland and Britain.
“The art of wrapping is being lost to today’s generation as a new trend shows that people would rather use a gift bag than risk wrapping a present badly,” a Tesco spokesperson said.
Last year, an estimated four million sheets of wrapping paper were used by Irish hoppers. That is enough paper to cover half of Leinster — around 8,000 square kilometres if all the sheets were laid side-by-side.
And with consumer spending expected to reach €16 billion this festive season — up from €13bn just 12 months ago — the volume of paper will still be up significantly.
For those who wish to keep the art of wrapping alive, Tesco has provided the above guide from origami expert Mark Bolitho to help with the basics.
