Christmas TV ad boom goes cold over cost of living and Qatar concerns

Advertisers trim budgets amid jitters over World Cup host's human rights record and appearing tone-deaf' to austerity

There will be no Christmas TV advertising boom this year as jitters over associating with the World Cup host Qatar's human rights record and the cost of living crisis put paid to the annual battle of the big-budget extravaganzas that traditionally bombard the public over the festive season.

UK companies will still spend a record 9.5bn in the run-up to Christmas, known as the golden quarter", when many retailers make the lion's share of their annual profits and sales, but the amount targeted at traditional TV, newspaper and radio outlets will decline this year.