NRF: Easter Spending to Break Records
On a per-person basis, shoppers are budgeting a record high of $195.59 for the holiday.
Mar 25, 2026 | 2 min read
Consumers are expected to spend a record total of $24.9 billion this year for Easter, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The projected amount surpasses the previous record of $24 billion set in 2023, NRF said. On a per-person basis, shoppers are budgeting a record high of $195.59, up from the previous record of $192.01 in 2023.
NRF said 80% of consumers plan to celebrate Easter this year, which is in line with previous years. For consumers not planning to celebrate the holiday this year, more than half (54%) still plan to take advantage of Easter-related sales across categories such as candy, food and clothing.
Research predicts that candy will be the leading shopping category for Easter this year, with 92% of consumers planning to purchase sweets. Other top categories include food (90%), gifts (64%), decorations (53%) and clothing (51%). Across these categories, food spending is expected to reach $7.5 billion, followed by gifts ($3.9 billion), clothing ($3.7 billion), candy ($3.5 billion) and flowers ($2.2 billion).
“While economic uncertainty remains on the minds of many, consumers are still focused on holiday celebrations like Easter,” NRF Chief Economist and Executive Director of Research Mark Mathews said. “Holidays provide an important opportunity for families to reconnect and create lasting memories, even as economic conditions fluctuate.”
According to the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA), 89% of people who make Easter baskets plan to include chocolate and candy, with chocolate eggs and bunnies expected to rank as Americans’ top Easter treat. Jellybeans, candy-coated eggs and marshmallow candy are also among the most popular choices.
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