Americans Plan Record Easter Spending Despite Rising Candy Costs.

U.S. consumers are expected to spend a record amount on Easter this year, driven by strong participation in the holiday and continued demand for traditional celebrations, according to new survey data.

Total Easter spending is projected to reach $24.9 billion, surpassing the previous high of $24 billion set in 2023, according to an annual survey conducted by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. On a per-person basis, shoppers plan to spend an average of $195.59, also a record and up from $192.01 in 2023.

About 80% of consumers say they plan to celebrate Easter this year. Among those, 58% cite tradition as the primary reason for their purchases. Other factors influencing spending include sales or promotions (36%), shopping as a social activity with family and friends (30%), store displays and decorations (27%), and exclusive or seasonal products (27%).

Discount stores remain the most popular shopping destination, with 55% of consumers planning to make purchases there. Department stores follow at 42%, while 34% of shoppers expect to buy items online.

Candy continues to dominate Easter-related purchases, with 92% of consumers planning to buy sweets. Food follows closely at 90%, while 64% intend to purchase gifts, 53% decorations and 51% clothing. In terms of total spending by category, food is expected to lead at $7.5 billion, followed by gifts at $3.9 billion, clothing at $3.7 billion, candy at $3.5 billion and flowers at $2.2 billion.

Among those not planning to celebrate, 54% say they still expect to take advantage of Easter-related sales, particularly for items such as candy, food and clothing.

“Easter continues to be a holiday rooted in tradition for many consumers, which serves as the leading source of shopping inspiration,” Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive VP of strategy Phil Rist said. “Consumers are also influenced this year by the shopping experience itself, including sales and promotions, engaging in-store displays, and by shopping with family and friends for holiday inspiration.”

However, some shoppers may face higher costs in at least one key category: candy.

Consumers shopping for Easter candy this year may encounter significantly higher prices, according to a new analysis from InvestorsObserver, which found that the cost of popular Easter candies has risen 67% since 2020. As a result, a family spending the same average of $93 today would receive about 40% less candy than six years ago.

In 2020, widely purchased Easter candies were priced from $3.49 to $3.99. By 2026, those prices had increased to a range of $4.79 to $8.29. Over the same period, the average price per ounce among five tracked products climbed from $0.37 to $0.62.

The report identified Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar as the most pronounced example, with a 107.8% increase in price per ounce over six years. It also noted that Cadbury Mini Eggs decreased in size from 10 ounces to 9 ounces in 2022 without a corresponding price reduction, a change described as a less visible cost increase for consumers.

Data from the National Retail Federation shows that average per-person spending on Easter candy rose from $23.30 in 2020 to about $26.82 in 2025.

“When shoppers lose a reliable sense of what something should normally cost, everything gets harder,” said Sam Bourgi, Senior Analyst at InvestorsObserver. “Instead of grabbing the usual bag without a second thought, you’re suddenly comparing prices, doing per-ounce math in your head, and wondering if you’re being overcharged.”

For its analysis, InvestorsObserver tracked prices for Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, Cadbury Mini Eggs, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Cadbury Creme Eggs from 2020 through 2026.