【2026 Summer Gift Survey】Top Desired Gift is 'Gift Certificates & Catalog Gifts,' Top Gifted Item is 'Beer' — Otona no Shumatsu Omorai Club Survey of 1,000 People Nationwide

Aibridge Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fukushima-ku, Osaka City; President and CEO: Kazuya Arakawa) has launched the 'Summer Gift Special' on its gourmet e-commerce site, 'Otona no Shumatsu Omorai Club,' on June 15.

This special feature introduces "truly delicious" gourmet products that the editorial team has personally tasted and carefully selected, categorized by genre and budget. It provides valuable insights for gift selection, such as "What should I choose for this year's Ochugen?" or "What gift will make the recipient happy?"—drawing on years of tasting experience and expert curation.

To gain deeper insights into the real trends of summer gifting, the company conducted the '2026 Ochugen & Summer Gift Awareness Survey' targeting 1,000 men and women aged 20 to 70 across Japan. The survey revealed consumer voices on desired gifts, problematic experiences, and shifts in purchasing channels—offering practical insights for gift selection.

Survey Overview

Survey Title: Survey on Ochugen and Summer Gifts

Target Respondents: Men and women aged 20–70 across Japan

Valid Responses: 1,000

Survey Date: June 1, 2026

Survey Method: Internet-based questionnaire (using Freeasy)

Survey Conducted by: Aibridge Co., Ltd.

Q. What gift would make you happy to receive? (Multiple answers allowed)

'Gift certificates/catalog gifts' ranked first at 37.9%, followed by 'ham/sausage' (33.7%), 'Western confectionery' (28.9%), and 'beer' (26.4%), showing strong support for classic food gifts. High demand exists for practical and versatile catalog gifts, followed by staple gourmet items that suit a wide range of tastes.

Q. Have you ever received a gift that caused inconvenience or that you didn’t like? (Multiple answers allowed)

'None in particular' accounted for 55.2%, indicating that negative experiences with summer gifts are limited. However, 'not to my taste' reached 31.1%, highlighting the importance of understanding the recipient’s preferences. 'Difficult to store' (15.4%) ranked second, emphasizing the need for caution with refrigerated or frozen items.

Q. What conditions do you consider ideal when receiving a gift? (Multiple answers allowed)

'Items I wouldn’t normally buy myself' ranked highest at 43.1%, followed by 'long shelf life (long expiration date)' (39.7%) and 'seasonal feel' (29.7%). The ideal summer gift combines specialness, storability, and seasonality. This aligns with the previous concern about storage difficulty, indicating strong demand for long-lasting products.

Q. Do you plan to give summer gifts this year? (Multiple answers allowed)

'No plans to give' accounted for 58.9%, a majority. However, 'planning to give Ochugen' was 23.7%, and 'not yet decided' was 12.7%, meaning 36.4% of respondents have gifting intentions when including potential givers. While there is a trend of declining summer gift culture, it remains rooted as a way to strengthen family and close relationships.

Q. Who do you plan to give gifts to? (Multiple answers; 411 respondents who plan to give)

'Own parents/siblings' ranked first at 38.9%, followed by 'relatives' (34.6%) and 'friends/acquaintances' (26.5%). 'Spouse’s parents/siblings' accounted for 23.8%, showing that summer gifts also serve as a gesture toward in-laws. 'Workplace/business partners' accounted for only 17.5%, indicating a relatively declining role as a business gift.

Q. What factors do you prioritize when selecting a gift? (Multiple answers; 411 respondents who plan to give)

'Recipient’s preferences' ranked highest at 43.8%, clearly showing that givers prioritize the recipient’s tastes. This is followed by 'seasonal/seasonal items' (41.9%) and 'budget/price' (39.7%), indicating a tendency to choose seasonal summer items while being cost-conscious. Gift selection clearly reflects a 'recipient-first' and 'reliability-focused' attitude.

Q. What is your budget per item? (Single answer; 411 respondents who plan to give)

'Under ¥3,000 to ¥5,000' accounted for 62.8%, a clear majority, solidifying this as the main price range for summer gifts. 'Under ¥5,000 to ¥10,000' accounted for 20.4%, confirming that the market’s core price range is ¥3,000 to ¥5,000.

Q. Where do you plan to purchase/order? (Multiple answers; 411 respondents who plan to give)

'Online shopping' ranked first at 43.8%, surpassing 'department stores' (39.4%). Department stores still hold a significant share at nearly 40%, maintaining their role as trusted sources for high-quality and gift-worthy products.

Q. What gift do you plan to give? (Multiple answers; 411 respondents who plan to give)

'Beer' ranked first at 28.2%, followed by 'Western confectionery' (18.5%) and 'ham/sausage' (14.6%). Despite ranking first in desired gifts at 37.9%, 'gift certificates/catalog gifts' were planned to be given by only 4.4% of respondents, confirming a significant gap between 'wanting to receive' and 'actually giving'.

Key Insights and Trends from Survey Results

[1] Online shopping (43.8%) surpasses department stores (39.4%) — Expansion of online purchasing

Online shopping (43.8%) surpassed department stores (39.4%) as the top purchase channel. This indicates a growing trend of online shopping in the summer gift market, where ease of product discovery and convenience make the quality of the e-commerce experience a key differentiator.

[2] The gap between 'wanting to receive' and 'actually giving' — Opportunity to unlock demand for catalog gifts

While gift certificates and catalog gifts ranked first in desired gifts (37.9%), actual gifting plans were only 4.4%. This 'wanted but rarely chosen' gap suggests potential for demand expansion through better messaging to givers.

[3] 'Specialness' and 'long shelf life' are two key conditions for successful summer gifts

Top ideal conditions are 'items I wouldn’t normally buy' (43.1%) and 'long shelf life' (39.7%). Delivering special, non-everyday items with high storability could increase recipient satisfaction. Products designed for room-temperature storage and long expiration dates may be more appealing.

[4] ¥3,000–¥5,000 is the mainstream budget; appealing to potential givers is a challenge

The dominant budget range is ¥3,000–¥5,000 (62.8%). Among those with 'no plans to give,' 12.7% are 'not yet decided,' suggesting that targeted outreach to this potential group could expand the market.

[5] Summer gifts remain a tool for strengthening family and kinship bonds

Top recipients are 'own parents/siblings' (38.9%) and 'relatives' (34.6%). While the role as a business gift is declining, summer gifting culture remains strong as a means of expressing gratitude and care within families and extended families.

Summary of Survey Results

This survey clearly reveals shifts in consumer awareness and behavior regarding summer gifting.

・Summer gift giving