Consumers to Shake Off Winter Blues This Easter

After an unusually cold winter in many parts of the United States, everyone is ready to celebrate spring.

April 11, 2014

WASHINGTON – Ready for sunshine, chocolate eggs and jellybeans, consumers will welcome the Easter Bunny with open arms this year. According to NRF’s Easter Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, the average American celebrating the holiday will spend an average of $137.46 on apparel, food, candy, gifts and more, slightly less than the $145.13 spent last year. Total spending is expected to reach $15.9 billion.

“The winter doldrums left consumers with a lot of pent-up demand, and though many Americans may take a cautious approach to spending on Easter items this year, retailers are anticipating that warmer weather will easily put consumers in the mood to buy bright clothes, holiday decorations and more,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay, in a press release. “As one of the biggest holidays of the year, retailers are looking forward to increased customer traffic in stores and online, and will roll out promotions on everything from garden supplies and patio sets to apparel and grocery items as they help their customers prepare for the holiday.”

Though fewer Americans will celebrate this year (80.3% vs. 83% last year), families are still looking forward to their traditional Sunday meals. Those who do plan to celebrate will spend the most on a grocery bill for a family dinner or Sunday brunch out; according to the survey, 85.7% of those celebrating will spend an average of $43.18 on a holiday meal, totaling $5 billion.

Nine in 10 (89.3%) of those celebrating will stock up on Easter candy, spending a total of $2.2 billion on their children’s favorite sweet treats. Families will also spend on gifts ($2.4 billion), flowers ($1.1 billion) and decorations ($1.1 billion). “Americans are eager to dip their toes in the fresh green grass this Easter and celebrate the day with friends and family,” said Prosper Insights and Analytics Director Pam Goodfellow. “Though they are planning to trim their budgets in terms of spending on food, clothes and gifts, most will look for personal and fun items that won’t break the bank in order to enjoy the day.”

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