It is the oldest Christian holiday and one of the most important days on the religion’s calendar. But in addition to its sacred aspects, for many people Easter marks a weekend filled with fun. In fact, most shoppers identify the holiday as a celebration of the start of spring and a quick visit from an egg-hiding rabbit.
According to NRF’s annual Easter Survey, conducted by Prosper, consumers will spend $17.3 billion spent on food, apparel, gifts and more, the most in the 13 years the survey has been conducted. Those celebrating plan to spend an average of $146 per person, up significantly over last year’s $140.62 per person and $16.4 billion total.
“Retailers are beginning one of their busiest times of year and are more than ready as consumers shop for spring essentials,” said Matthew Shay, President and CEO of NRF in a statement. “Shoppers will find promotions on a number of items on their lists, from Easter baskets to sports equipment, home goods, garden tools and more.”
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According to the survey, consumers will spend:
- $5.5 billion on food;
- $3 billion on clothing;
- $2.7 billion on gifts;
- $2.4 billion on candy; and
- $1.2 billion on flowers.
Green (And Pink And Purple And Yellow) Eggs And Ham
To celebrate, consumers will mark the day in a number or different ways: 57.8% will visit family and friends, 55.6% will cook a holiday meal, 51.3% will go to church and 15.6% will go to a restaurant.
Children have plenty to look forward to after the Easter Bunny comes: 31.4% of consumers plan an Easter egg hunt and 13.9% will open gifts. Easter ranks second behind Halloween for candy sales: chocolate bunnies and eggs, as well as jelly beans, are among the most popular items.
Where Are Customers Hopping?
With shopping lists in hand, 58.4% of consumers will head to discount stores, 41.4% will go to department stores and 24.7% will shop at local small businesses. Not everyone will make it to stores: 21.4% will shop online, up from 18.8% last year. Among smartphone owners, 22.8% will research products on their devices while 14.9% will use their phones to make a purchase.
“Easter is a traditional holiday that consumers of all ages and on all budget levels celebrate with family and friends,” said Pam Goodfellow, Principal Analyst for Prosper. “Consumers have long lists of items they need to get their spring off to a good start. Smart shoppers plan to compare prices, research the items on their lists and take advantage of promotions on things like apparel and candy.”
Sweet Easter Specials
Hershey’s is producing a seasonal Carrot Cake Kiss —which features a white-chocolate base and a bright orange coating—available exclusively at Walmart.
PEEPS is offering mystery flavors of its ubiquitous Easter marshmallow treat and four different flavors of Peeps Milk: Chocolate Marshmallow, Egg Nog, Strawberry Crème, and Orange Crème. For Facebook users, PEEPS has teamed up with Kmart to create the “My PEEPS” generator. Facebook users can create their own virtual PEEPS box, customizing shape and color, and adding friends’faces.
