Apr 17, 2007

Mom to Enjoy Royal Treatment This Year, According to NRF; Consumers are Expected to Spend Almost $16 BillionBy Kathy GrannisNRF.com

Washington – This Mother’s Day, consumers plan to spend $15.73 billion as they shower the women in their lives with jewelry, flowers, clothing, and even trips to the spa. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2007 Mother’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions survey, conducted by BIGresearch, consumers are expected to spend an average of $139.14 on the holiday compared to last year’s $122.16.

The study found that the majority of consumers plan to celebrate (84.5%) this year. Shoppers plan to spend nearly $1.6 billion on clothes and accessories (37.0%), $2.1 billion on jewelry (32.8%), $2.3 billion on flowers (72.4%) and $3.1 billion on a special dinner or brunch at their favorite restaurant (61.0%).

“For mom, it’s the thought that counts,” said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. “As people find more creative ways to treat the women in their lives to something special, retailers of all types and sizes stand to benefit from Mother’s Day.”

Other popular gifts for the holiday include greeting cards (86.8%), gift certificates (39.3%), books or CDs (29.3%), housewares or gardening tools 18.5%) and consumer electronics or computer related accessories (11.3%). In recent years, pampering mom with a personal service gift such as a trip to the spa or beauty salon has become a favorite gift choice, with 19.7 percent of consumers planning on dishing out $1.3 billion on these gifts. Last year, only 14.5 percent of consumers purchased this type of service for mom.

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