Easter Candy Spending to Decrease

WASHINGTON -- Americans will spend an average of $116.59 on Easter candy, gifts, food and decorations, down from an average of $135.03 last year, according to NRF’s 2009 Easter Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Total spending on the holiday is expected to reach $12.73 billion.

Survey findings indicate many people will opt for less expensive celebrations this year. Americans’ largest Easter expense will be in preparing a meal, with the average person expected to spend $37.67 on food (down from $41.09 last year). People will also spend on gifts ($17.30 vs. $21.42 last year), flowers ($7.55 vs. $9.11 in 2008) and candy ($16.55 vs. $18.12 in 2008).

The survey found the majority of people (64.0 percent) will bargain shop at discounters this year, up from the 58.8 percent who shopped at such outlets last year. Still, about one-third (32.5 percent) will head to their favorite department store for Easter merchandise, one in four (22.5 percent) will visit a specialty store, 11.4 percent will shop online and 5.9 percent will buy Easter apparel from a specialty clothing store, according to the report.
X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds