Easter spending expected to reach a record $24.9 billion

Consumer spending on Easter is expected to reach a record total of $24.9 billion this year, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The amount surpasses the previous record of $24 billion set in 2023. On a per-person basis, shoppers are budgeting a record high of $195.59, up from the previous record of $192.01 in 2023.

“While economic uncertainty remains on the minds of many, consumers are still focused on holiday celebrations like Easter,” NRF Chief Economist and Executive Director of Research Mark Mathews said. “Holidays provide an important opportunity for families to reconnect and create lasting memories, even as economic conditions fluctuate.”

Candy is the leading shopping category for Easter this year, with 92% of consumers planning to purchase sweets. Other top categories include food (90%), gifts (64%), decorations (53%) and clothing (51%). Across these categories, food spending is expected to reach $7.5 billion, followed by gifts ($3.9 billion), clothing ($3.7 billion), candy ($3.5 billion) and flowers ($2.2 billion).

In line with previous years, 80% of consumers plan to celebrate Easter. Tradition (58%) is the primary inspiration for purchasing Easter‑related items, followed by sales or promotions (36%), shopping as a social activity with family and friends (30%), store displays and decorations (27%), and exclusive or seasonal products (27%).

“Easter continues to be a holiday rooted in tradition for many consumers, which serves as the leading source of shopping inspiration,” Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “Consumers are also influenced this year by the shopping experience itself, including sales and promotions, engaging in‑store displays, and by shopping with family and friends for holiday inspiration.”

Among those celebrating Easter, the most popular activities include cooking a holiday meal (56%), visiting friends and family (52%), attending church (43%) and planning an Easter egg hunt (36%).

As in past years, discount stores (55%) remain the top shopping destination, followed by department stores (42%) and online (34%).

For consumers not planning to celebrate the holiday this year, more than half (54%) still plan to take advantage of Easter‑related sales across categories such as candy, food and clothing.

The survey asked 7,845 adult consumers about their Easter shopping plans. It was conducted March 2-11 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.

As the leading authority and voice for the retail industry, NRF provides data on consumer behavior and spending for key periods such as holidays throughout the year.