Last week, I went for my weekly grocery shopping at the nearby supermarket. I live in the countryside in south-west Germany, not close to any big cities, but in a fairly large rural area. There isn’t a high density of shops around here – I wouldn’t call it a highly competitive market. I say this because this context is important.
When I reached the “free time” aisle—the place where you normally find seasonal sweets or “treat” foods—something caught my attention.
Right next to the barbecue sauces and grilling equipment, there they were: Christmas biscuits and candies. Literally side by side.
It was August 31st!
Barbecue products made perfect sense. We’re still hoping to enjoy a few warm days. Maybe we can have some fun “grillen” sessions. This is one of the most beloved summer activities in Germany.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, made me think of Christmas.
And yet, there they were: an entire section of the shelf dedicated to Christmas—or, to be politically correct, “Winter Holidays”—products.
This phenomenon even has a name: Christmas creep, or more generally, holidays creep. Which is the habits from the Retailers to advance selling goods way before their belonging seasons start.
How did that make me feel?
First, annoyed.
That sight instantly reminded me that summer was over, and winter was already looming at the door. I wasn’t ready for that! It even killed my ideas of buying last barbecue items—despite the discounts.
All of the sudden, I found myself on a cold winter day. There were no warm autumn days in between. What a sad feeling!
Second, pressured.
Suddenly, I felt I had to start thinking about Christmas. Normally, I wouldn’t begin before November, maybe two months ahead. But the products on the shelf triggered a mental checklist: decorations, the tree, presents, Plätzchen backen, Christmas dinner… What should I cook for New Year’s Eve?
Help! A level of anxiety grew in—more unconscious than rational.
Third, tired.
That familiar fear of missing out (FOMO) was clearly at play. FOMO is fueled by manipulative retail messages—“only today,” “last items left”—that push impulsive and compulsive buying, especially during flash sales, limited editions, and seasonal promotions.
Here, the message was subtle: if Christmas sweets are already on sale this early, maybe they won’t be restocked later. Better grab them now. We are constantly bombarded by all kinds of manipulative messages. As consumers, we are not able to make informed decisions anymore. That all create a sense of fatigue and tireless decision making process.
And I know I’m not the only one.
This relentless cycle of trend-driven products and seasonal premature sales can not lead to a enjoyable consumer experience.
I might be wrong. I am sure the marketing retail experts have done their job to prove that this way of pre-selling helps sell more. Otherwise, they would not do it I am sure.
Still, I can’t help to feel as a consumer this sense on uneasy and dissatisfaction when I was shopping that day, almost a shopping emotional burnout.
Sciative has done an interesting analysis on “discount fatigue” and its psychology. According to their findings, shoppers today are so bombarded by promotions that they’ve become desensitized. Instead of excitement or urgency, promotions are often met with a shrug, a delayed reaction, or even total disengagement.
The surprising result of a study conducted by Cornell University is that even if it costs nothing to sell the product early, the company often makes less profit by doing so. If firms allow early buying, consumers may all rush early, or none at all — but rarely split between the two.
Other research paints a more complex picture. One recent study, for example, found that consumer experiences in retail are closely linked to the neurophysiological immersion of the sales experience, which predicts both purchase likelihood and time spent shopping.
While that study focused on luxury stores, we could hypothesize that when retailers invest in themed displays and immersive environments—as seasonal creep often does—they can increase dwell time and, consequently, sales. Which could be an explanation on why Retailers do it.
Consequence of online shopping?
Seen from another angle, perhaps “Christmas creep” is not simply a cynical retail trick but a logical consequence of how we now shop online.
E-commerce has trained us to expect immediate availability, early access, and constant variety at our fingertips. Algorithms push “trending” products months ahead of time, and pre-orders have become a norm.
Supermarkets, in turn, mirror these behaviors in the physical world: by placing Christmas cookies next to barbecue sauce in August, they’re not just rushing the season, they’re responding to a consumer mindset shaped by digital convenience and endless choice.
I don’t have the answer to this new trend. Nor can I say with certainty whether it’s just something local, a peculiarity of German retail, or part of a broader international shift. What I can observe, though, is that year after year the seasonal calendar seems to creep forward, as if retailers were deliberately pulling us into festivities long before they naturally begin.
And I personally do not like it. Maybe it’s because my “age” and an old nostalgic habit of celebrate seasonal occasions for a shorter time.
Or just not that we are already immersed in so many other things. It is easier not having to deal with that one too early on our calendars. As simple as that.
The Diary of a digital Journey 