Eighty-five percent of consumers plan to celebrate Easter this year, and it is the second-most popular holiday for purchasing candy, behind Halloween, with 50% of celebrators intending to buy candy, according to a Numerator survey.

The survey found that Easter shoppers will fill their baskets with food, candy and gifts. Seventy percent of celebrators intend to purchase food for the holiday, and one in five Easter celebrators will purchase gifts for the holiday. Among gift purchasers, 58% plan to buy toys and games. Millennial shoppers are the most likely group to purchase Easter gifts.

Numerator found that half of consumers expect economic hardships to affect their Easter plans, and they are taking steps to mitigate the impact. Fifty-one percent of Easter celebrators believe that inflation or a potential economic slowdown will moderately or significantly impact their celebration plans. To save money, they will buy items on sale (58%), use more coupons (37%), prepare budget-friendly foods (29%) and shop at dollar or discount stores (26%).

Different generations prefer different sweet treats and shopping locations, with Boomers+ being 1.2 times more likely to purchase their Easter candy at Dollar General, opting for Werther’s Original (38% more likely to do so than other generations) and Brach’s (+37%). Gen X shoppers will spend an average of $8 more on Easter candy than other generations, and they are 30% more likely to purchase Mike and Ike and 27% more likely to purchase SweeTarts. Millennials are 1.6 times more likely to purchase Easter candy at Target, choosing Trolli (37% more likely to buy) and Kinder (+36%). Gen Z prefers Nerds (+46%) and Airheads (+37%).

Consumers with children will spend 27% more on candy than those without kids, according to the survey. They are also three times more likely to purchase Kinder Joy and two times more likely to purchase Nerds, Sour Patch and M&M Minis. Easter candy buyers are likely putting gifts in their shopping baskets as well. Shoppers who purchase candy are six times more likely to purchase bubbles on the same trip, 3.5 times more likely to purchase clay and dough and two times more likely to purchase action figures or art supplies.

The survey also found that although most of consumers plan to celebrate Easter, how consumers celebrate varies by generation. Gen X and Boomers+ are more likely to celebrate Easter overall, while Gen Z and Millennials are twice as likely to travel for the holiday.

Easter 2023 celebrations are up compared to Easter 2022, with 57% of celebrators planning to gather with family and friends (vs. 50% in 2022), 38% plan to cook or bake (vs. 27% in 2022) and 28% plan to attend a religious event (vs. 22% in 2022). Over 1 in 4 Easter celebrators plan to celebrate the religious meaning behind the holiday, and 28% of intended celebrators plan to attend a religious event for Easter, making it the top holiday for such plans, followed closely by Christmas (26%) and Hanukkah (17%).