NRF Predicts Record Mother’s Day Spending

Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach $33.5 billion this year, the second highest in the history of the survey, following last year’s record $35.7 billion, according to the annual consumer survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

“Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who play a meaningful role in our lives,” says Matthew Shay, NRF President and CEO. “Retailers know the significant importance of this day and are ready to help their customers with a wide selection of meaningful gifts for loved ones to show their appreciation.”

On average, those celebrating plan to spend $254.04 on Mother’s Day gifts and celebrations, the second highest per-person figure, following last year’s record $274.02 per person. 84% of U.S. adults are expected to celebrate the holiday. The biggest spenders are expected to be those between the ages of 35 and 44, who are budgeting $345.75 on average for the holiday.

As with previous years, the most popular gifts to give are flowers, greeting cards and special outings such as dinner or brunch. Additionally, total spending on flowers is expected to reach $3.2 billion, while total spending on greeting cards is expected to reach $1.1 billion this year.

Gifts that are thoughtful in nature remain a priority for Mother’s Day shoppers. 48% say they will focus on finding items that are unique or different or create a special memory than in years past.

“Even though consumers continue to gravitate toward classic Mother’s Day gifts like flowers and greeting cards, almost one-third plan to give a gift of experience this year,” says Phil Rist, Prosper executive vice president of strategy. “Consumers also plan to spend more on special outings than they have in the past.”

This year, 35 % of purchases are expected to be online, followed by department stores at 32%, specialty stores at 29% and small businesses at 25%.