This Easter, consumers are prioritizing traditional treats and meals, with 92% planning to purchase candy and 89% intending to buy food, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics survey. This focus on edible items contributes significantly to the total projected Easter spending of $23.6 billion, which is up from $22.4 billion last year and close to the 2023 record. Specifically, shoppers anticipate spending $7.4 billion on food and $3.3 billion on candy, highlighting the enduring importance of these categories in Easter celebrations.
According to the survey, the most popular Easter purchasing categories include candy (92%), food (89%), gifts (65%), decorations (51%) and clothing (49%). Overall, shoppers expect to spend $3.8 billion on gifts, $3.5 billion on clothing, $1.9 billion on flowers and $1.7 billion on decorations.
“As we witnessed throughout the pandemic, holidays such as Easter are especially meaningful for Americans during times of uncertainty,” NRF Vice President 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.”
Like previous years, a majority 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.
More than half of consumers plan to cook a holiday meal (58%), visit friends and family (55%), and attend church (45%) on Easter Sunday. Most families with kids (54%) plan an Easter egg hunt at home.
The survey asked 7,970 adult consumers about their Easter shopping plans. It was conducted March 3-7 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
Easter purchases
According to Consumer Digest, Spring Has Sprung March 2025 by 84.51°, and shoppers plan to purchase and celebrate Easter mainly with candy.
When questioned about whether they plan to celebrate Easter and what they plan on purchasing, people answered that chocolate candy is the main reason (73%), followed by Easter-themed candy (50%), fruit-flavored and sugar candy (40%), and peeps (31%).
Related Article: Easter Season Confectionery Sales to Go Over $5 Billion
Sweet Easter Insights
According to the National Confectioners Association, 92% of Americans celebrate Easter with chocolate and candy.
Here are their favorites:
- Chocolate eggs or bunnies
- Jelly beans
- Candy-coated eggs
- Marshmallow candy
Chocolate and candy remain a staple in Easter baskets, with a significant 89% of those creating these festive gifts including them. A solid chocolate egg is the favorite for 41% of Americans, 36% prefer a filled egg, and 23% opt for a hollow version. Regarding confectionery sales, Easter is the third top-selling holiday, following the winter holidays and Halloween.