Despite all the economic uncertainty out there (and the rising cost of their ingredients), chocolate bunnies, colored eggs and other Easter-related goodies look to be popular as always this year. That’s reflected in the National Retail Federation’s 2025 spending forecast for the spring holiday, which finds consumers’ expenditures for Easter (April 20) are expected to hit $23.6 billion this year. While that’s above last year’s $22.4 billion, it’s below the record $24 billion spent in 2023.
“As we witnessed throughout the pandemic, holidays such as Easter are especially meaningful for Americans during times of uncertainty,” said NRF VP of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen said. “During this time of economic uncertainty, consumers are prioritizing their Easter celebrations, and retailers are ready to help them enjoy this special occasion with loved ones.”
Here are some major findings from the survey, which was conducted for the NRF by Prosper Insights & Analytics:
- Like previous years, more than three-quarters of U.S. consumers (79%) plan to celebrate Easter; they are expected to spend $189.26 on average per person, or $12 more than last year.
- The most popular Easter purchasing categories include candy (92%), food (89%), gifts (65%), decorations (51%) and clothing (49%). Overall, shoppers expect to spend a total of $7.4 billion on food, $3.8 billion on gifts, $3.5 billion on clothing, $3.3 billion on candy, $1.9 billion on flowers and $1.7 billion on decorations.
- Discount stores continue to be the most popular shopping destination for Easter items, with more than half of shoppers (55%) planning to visit one. Other shopping destinations include department stores (44%), online (36%) and local small businesses (26%).
The survey, which gathered responses from just under 8000 U.S. adult consumers about their Easter shopping plans, was conducted March 3-7 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
Click here for more from the survey.
Honoring a Legacy: How Smith & Son Jewelers Exceeded Every Goal With Wilkerson
When Andrew Smith decided to close the Springfield, Massachusetts location of Smith & Son Jewelers, the decision came down to family. His father was retiring after 72 years in the business, and Andrew wanted to spend more time with his children and soon-to-arrive grandchildren.
For this fourth-generation jeweler whose great-grandfather founded the company in 1918, closing the 107-year-old Springfield location required the right partner. Smith chose Wilkerson, and the experience exceeded expectations from start to finish.
"Everything they told me was 100% true," Smith says. "The ease and use of all their tools was wonderful."
The consultants' knowledge and expertise proved invaluable. Smith and his father set their own financial goal, but Wilkerson proposed three more ambitious targets. "We thought we would never make it," Smith explains. "We were dead wrong. We hit our first goal, second goal and third goal. It was amazing."
Smith's recommendation is emphatic: "I would never be able to do what they did by myself."
