Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. What does this year’s February 14 hold for consumers across the country? How will people celebrate and what gifts will they give to the people they love?
Nearly 50% of the U.S. population intends to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year. Eleven percent of U.S. adults plan to go to a restaurant or bar, and 19% are doing something special at home. Celebrations at restaurants and bars used to be much higher (14% in 2020, before the epidemic became a pandemic), but habits changed as a result of the coronavirus and have yet to return to their original numbers.
But that doesn’t mean people aren’t excited about pink and red, and the promise of sweet treats and hugs. More than half of Valentine’s Day celebrators say Valentine’s Day is just as important to them as it was before the pandemic. Ten percent even say it is more important now than a few years back. Non-married people express this sentiment twice as much as those who are married.
Gift-Giving and Celebrations
Candy and chocolate are slightly more popular this year. Sweet treats make up the largest Valentine’s gifting category for women as well as for many age groups. Twenty percent of Gen Z plan to give candy or chocolate as a gift this year, but they are also the most likely to give clothing, electronics, and tickets.
Valentine’s Day is a reason to celebrate for the younger generations too: 74% of Gen Z have plans of some kind to honor V-Day, the most popular being celebrating at a friend or family member’s house. Gen X and the 55-and-older crowd are significantly less likely to say they will celebrate. If they do, they will keep it simple at home.
It seems people with a fondness for pets share a love of Valentine’s Day. Consumers with one or more cats or dogs are more likely to celebrate Valentine’s day than people without these pets. A correlation also exists between fans of “The Bachelor” and the belief that Valentine’s Day is more important now than it has been in the past. But that isn’t too surprising.
For more insights on consumer behavior and preferences, let’s chat.
