Retailers, prepare. Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 12, 2019) spending is expected to total a record $25 billion this year, up from $23.1 billion in 2018, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual Mother’s Day spending survey.
$25 Billion | Mother’s Day spending is expected to total a record $25 billion this year, up from $23.1 billion in 2018
84% | Percentage of U.S. adults who are expected to celebrate in honor of their mothers and other women in their lives.
“Mother’s Day spending has been growing consistently over the past several years, and this year’s spending is expected to be the highest in the 16-year history of the survey,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.”
Newer models of gift-giving including special outings and gift cards are growing, in addition to more traditional gifts including flowers, greeting cards, and jewelry. Increased spending on jewelry represents 31 percent of the expected increase over last year, according to Shay.
Planned Gift Purchases for Mother’s Day 2019
| Category | % Giving | Amount | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting card(s) | 75% | $6.64 | $843 million | |
| Flowers | 67% | $20.31 | $2.6 billion | |
| Special outing | 55% | $36.41 | $4.6 billion | |
| Gift card or certificate | 45% | $20.65 | $2.6 billion | |
| Clothing | 38% | $18.07 | $2.3 billion | |
| Jewelry | 35% | $40.87 | $5.2 billion | |
| Personal service | 24% | $15.80 | $2 billion | |
| Garden/Home tools | 20% | $8.82 | $1.1 billion | |
| Books or CDs | 20% | $4.28 | $544 million | |
| Consumer electronics | 15% | $17.15 | $2.2 billion | |
| Other | 24% | $7.48 | $950 million |
Source: NRF’s Annual 2019 Mother’s Day Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
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