Britain is a nation that on average says ‘thank you 14 times a day, according to the latest research from online greeting card and gift retailer Moonpig
We thank the bus driver (64%), the barista (78%), the courier (79%) and the neighbour who takes in a parcel (73%). We even thank our pets (35%), our satnav (27%) and AI tools (23%). And yet, despite this chorus of daily gratitude, a new survey of 1,500 Brits reveals something striking: we receive thanks just 10 times a day in return, and 56% admit they often say it without really meaning it.
It’s a politeness paradox. We over-thank, yet still feel under-appreciated.
That’s where the greeting card industry holds something powerful. Because while ‘thank you’ may be automatic, a thank you card is anything but.
According to the research, 81% of Brits rate receiving a thank you card as meaningful – almost as valued as an in-person expression of gratitude (83%). Over two-thirds (67%) say receiving appreciation makes them feel happier and more motivated. The handwritten card stands apart as deliberate, tangible and sincere.
Gratitude by city
The numbers deepen when we look city by city. Liverpool tops the table, with 88.9% of residents valuing receiving a thank you card. Brighton (86.8%), Cardiff (86.1%) and Bristol (85.3%) follow closely behind. Even in cities lower down the ranking – Manchester (68.8%) and Nottingham (69.2%) – more than two-thirds still place high value on the gesture.
Cardiff emerges as the UK’s most prolific thank you card-sending city. Residents lead for wedding gifts (31.67%), baby shower gifts (16.67%), housewarming gifts (19.30%) and birthday gifts (19.30%) — nearly double the national birthday average of 10.33%. Plymouth, meanwhile, proves the most sympathetic city, leading the UK in cards sent for bereavement (18.18%) and get-well wishes (18.18%). Manchester shows a remarkable spike around new life events, with 33.33% sending cards for baby shower gifts – twice the national average.
Age makes a difference
Age tells another compelling story. Over-55s are the most committed card users and the most appreciative recipients. 88% of this group say they value receiving a thank you card. They are also the most likely to send cards for wedding gifts (32.78%), Christmas gifts (11.48%) and bereavement support (15.97%). For them, the card remains the gold standard of formal gratitude.
But younger generations are redefining where cards matter most. Among 18–24 year olds, 11.54% would send a card to thank someone for childcare or pet-sitting – nearly triple the rate of over-55s. They are also more likely to send a card for emotional support during a tough time (10.90%). For Gen Z, cards aren’t reserved for tradition; they’re tools for deeper, personal connection.
This shift is critical for the industry. While everyday thanks are plentiful – and often perfunctory – consumers still reserve cards for moments that carry emotional weight: weddings (26%), housewarmings (16%), baby showers (14%). Cards are chosen when the gratitude must be felt, not just heard.
Britain may say thank you 14 times a day. But when it truly means it, it puts pen to paper.
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