Average Easter spending expected to be highest on record

Shoppers are ramping up their Easter spending this year amid new stimulus checks and positive trends in vaccinations and consumer confidence.

Consumers plan to spend an average of $179.70 this Easter, the highest figure on record, according an annual survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. A total of 79% of Americans will celebrate the holiday and spend a collective $21.6 billion (down slightly from last year's pre-pandemic forecast of $21.7 billion.)

“Keep in mind that last year’s survey was conducted in early March before the pandemic forced most of the country to shut down and reflects consumers’ pre-pandemic plans,” Prosper Insights executive VP of strategy Phil Rist said. “This year’s numbers reflect not just consumers’ resilience in the last 12 months but also the enduring popularity of Easter.”

The biggest drivers of growth this year are expected to be Easter gifts, with consumers planning to spend an average of $31.06 (up from $27.91 in 2020), $52.50 on food (up from $51.76) and $25.22 on candy (up from $23.30).  For those looking to purchase Easter-related items, 48% will shop at discount stores, 35% will visit department stores, 35% will make purchases online, 23% will go to a specialty store and 23% will go to a small business or local store. Similar to other holiday events during the pandemic, this year’s online shopping figure is the highest in survey history, up from 28% last year.

While not everyone plans to celebrate, plenty of shoppers will be on the hunt for Easter-related sales. More than half (52%) of those who don’t celebrate Easter still plan to take advantage of these deals and expect to spend an average of $21.11 (up from $17.64 in 2020). The most popular item is candy, which respondents have shown transcends across age, gender and disposable incomes.