Selling gifts destined to sit prominently under the Christmas tree may be retailers’ main focus the upcoming festive season, but don’t forget the added bonus of stocking-filler sales, expected to add up to £731 million. That’s because the latter’s expected to add up to a staggering £731 million worth of goods, and it’s not all children-related.

According to a report by buy-now-pay-later financier Clearpay, Santa Claus will fill close to 12 million extra stockings this Christmas Eve as 23% of UK adults will be gifting another grown-up a festive stocking come 25 December.

UK adults are expect ted to spend an average of £62 per stocking for grown ups, 17% more than what’s being spent on the average children’s stocking (£53).

Men spend more on Christmas stockings than women (£71 vs £53) with the majority of adults giving one to their romantic partner (52%). 

The most popular stocking fillers include socks (40%), perfume/aftershave (34%), accessories (33%), and make-up and beauty products (33%). 

In the run up to last Christmas there was a 463% year-on-year rise in Christmas Eve extras for adults.

Meanwhile, the report says Christmas shopping has already begun for 18% of Britons. More women (20%) than men (15%) are getting into the festive spirit having already bought seasonal items.

Rich Bayer, UK Country Manager at Clearpay, said: “Brits are already getting into the festive spirit by starting to stock up on gifts ahead of Christmas. Some savvy shoppers are already ahead of the game and are picking up sought-after items.”