In the midst of economic jitters, UK shoppers are gearing up for a holiday spending spree that's savvy and cost-conscious. According to a survey from BNPL firm Klarna, 56% of all UK consumers are worried about incurring credit card debt because of holiday shopping while 36% believe they won’t be able to pay it off. Money woes are driving many to explore new options for bargain hunting, with as many as 26% plan on using AI to help navigate the shopping experience.

With 54% of shoppers using technology to hunt for bargains and 51% using it to compare prices, in the face of financial woes, Britons are making sure they find the best deal available. For many, the real gift of AI isn't just the deals but the luxury of time saved – 35% of holiday shoppers are singing praises to technology for being the ultimate time-saver.

As the holiday shopping season unfolds, Target in the US is using VR to guide parents toward more budget-friendly options, while other brands are offering early holiday deals to help cash-strapped shopper spread out their Christmas purchases. It's a tech-infused holiday extravaganza, where the real gift isn't just under the tree but in the algorithms that help people afford it.