Consumers Expected To Cut Back On Mother's Day Spending

Spending on gifts and related items for Mother’s Day is expected to be lower than 2023’s record spending for the annual May celebrations of moms.

Figures from the National Retail Federation revealed that total spending is expected to reach $33.5 billion, down from spending of $35.7 billion a year ago. 

On average, those celebrating plan to spend $254.04 on Mother’s Day gifts and celebrations, the second highest per-person figure, following 2023’s record $274.02 per person. 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. 

The NRF consumer survey also revealed that 84% of U.S. adults will celebrate Mother’s Day.

“Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who play a meaningful role in our lives,” said Matthew Shay, president and CEO of NRF. “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.”

Most (59%) of those celebrating the holiday are shopping specifically for a mother or stepmother, followed by a wife (22%) or daughter (12%). As with previous years, the most popular gifts to give are flowers (74%), greeting cards (74%) and special outings such as dinner or brunch (59%).

Consumers will spend a total of $7 billion on jewelry, $5.9 billion on special outings and $3.5 billion on electronics. 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.

This year, online (35%) remains the most popular shopping destination, followed by department stores (32%), specialty stores (29%) and local or small businesses (25%).
The NRF survey of 8,213 U.S. adult consumers was conducted April 1-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.