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Most U.S. consumers intend to cut back on their holiday spending this year as the economy continues to influence their shopping choices, suggest the results of a Consumer Reports holiday-shopping poll released Thursday. However, fewer plan to do so than did last holiday season. Sixty-five percent of respondents this year said they intend to cut back on gift, travel and entertainment purchases during the winter holidays. This compares with 76% of surveyed consumers who intended to scale back their holiday spending in 2008, according to Consumer Reports. Additionally, 6% of consumers, or roughly 13.5 million adults, continue to carry debt from last year's holiday season, the survey data suggest. The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted the telephone survey of 1,000 U.S. adults between Oct .15 and 18. Yonkers, N.Y.-based Consumers Union of U.S. Inc. publishes Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports did not return a request for additional information by CardLine deadline.
