Worst Father's Day gifts named - and what you should be buying instead

As Father's Day looms on the horizon, a recent study has highlighted that choosing the wrong present could be a misstep in showing appreciation for your dad. According to findings from MyVoucherCodes, fishing gear has emerged as the UK's least desired Father's Day gift.

The survey, which gathered insights from over 2,000 individuals, delved into purchasing habits for Father's Day and pinpointed what gifts are most and least welcomed by dads on their special day, set for June 16. It seems many fathers aren't particularly picky, with a notable 26% indicating they'd be content with any gift they receive.

However, fishing equipment was identified as the number one unwanted item, followed closely by golf-related products and, surprisingly, Hawaiian shirts. Despite their association with the suave spy James Bond, bow ties and ties, along with cufflinks, were the fourth and fifth least popular choices, while gym attire took the sixth spot.

• Read more: Wowcher Father's Day deals with up to 70% off designer gifts and days out

• Get all the latest money news and budgeting tips from Chronicle Live with our free newsletter

Even "Best dad" themed merchandise didn't quite hit the mark, landing as the seventh least favoured option. Completing the list of top ten least preferred gifts were socks, barbecue tools, and jewellery.

On the flip side, when it comes to winning gifts, it appears food is a reliable route to delighting dad. The survey, conducted in May by Censuswide, revealed that a meal out topped the list of most sought-after Father's Day presents.

A getaway trip secured the second place as an ideal gift, with beer coming in third as a favoured treat. Gifts don't always need to have any monetary value and the fourth most popular Father's Day gift for dads was simply time spent with their children.

A hotel stay and wine were placed joint fifth, with chocolate in seventh place and tickets to a sporting event and books placed joint eighth. The simple things in life are often the best and a home-cooked meal was ranked in 10th position.

The average spend overall on Father's Day gifts across the survey was just over £30. The research also suggests that women and girls are slightly more generous when it comes to splashing the cash on their dads, with the average female spending £32.15 on Father's Day, compared with £28.97 for men and boys.

The research also showed that men and women have differing views when it comes to which gifts are well-received on Father's Day. One in 10 women surveyed (10%) believes their dad would like a home-cooked meal, but only 8% of men surveyed actually agree.

And 10% of the women surveyed also thought that their dads or partners would like an experience day, when in fact only 7% of men quizzed would welcome that as a gift.

Sarah-Jane Outten, shopping expert at MyVoucherCodes, says: "It's really interesting to see the difference between what men actually want for Father's Day and what women think they want."

"What's also really clear from the research is that dads aren't angling for fishing gear so to get yourself off the hook, it might be best to go with a different gift."