In celebrating St. Patrick’s Day today, U.S. consumers are expected to spend a total of $6.9 billon on green clothes, green beer and other related expenses, the National Retail Foundation’s yearly spending outlook for the holiday reports. That’s almost double the $3.8 billion spent in 2007, the first year the NRF survey was done.
The major spending categories for the holiday are food, beverages, candy, decorations, apparel, greeting cards and gifts.
Part of this year’s expected higher spending is traceable to higher participation rates in the holiday and its rites: This year, 61 percent of consumers plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, up from 54 percent in 2022 and the highest in the history of the survey.
And men say they are ready to spend more than anyone else. For as long as NRF has tracked the holiday, men have spent substantially more than women on St. Patrick’s Day festivities. This year, they are spending $48.71 apiece, almost $10 than women’s $39.15. What are they spending it on? Well, women buy more of every category mentioned above than men except one — beverages.
Although younger consumers are still more likely to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than any other age group, celebration plans among those 35 and up are on the rise. As consumers start aging out of the 18- to 34-year-old category, they’re bringing their enthusiasm for St. Patrick’s Day with them to the next stage in their lives. Maybe their favorite color is green, maybe they really like corned beef hash, but whatever it is, they keep coming back for more St. Patrick’s Day.
Consumers with children are finding ways to make the holiday special – and, surprisingly, celebrate at higher levels than those without kids. A little over half of consumers without children in their household (54 percent) celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, compared with 74 percent of those with children.
Click here for more on the NRF spending survey.