NRF has been conducting its annual St. Patrick’s Day survey for more than a decade to see how consumers will spend for and celebrate during the popular cultural holiday. Consumers are expected to spend an average of $40.77 on St. Patrick's Day in 2021.
2021 St. Patrick’s Day: About half of U.S. adults plan to mark the occasion:
The latest consumer spending data from NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics’ 2021 St. Patrick’s Day survey found that 49 percent of U.S. adults said they plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year.
Similar to what we’ve seen over the past year, consumers may be adjusting their celebrations with COVID-19 in mind. While this can traditionally be a holiday where you meet up with your friends or attend parades, significantly fewer are doing so this year. Over half (55 percent) said they’ll be avoiding gatherings this year, as a result of the pandemic. But the leprechauns are still in luck, as 32 percent of consumers plan to keep the spirit alive by planning a special dinner or celebration at home.
With plenty of decorations and festive treats needed to mark the occasion, 92 percent of those celebrating plan to make St. Patrick’s Day purchases. They plan to spend $40.77 on average, for a total $5.1 billion nationwide.
See the data in the infographic below and explore NRF’s St. Patrick’s Day Dashboard for historical data and trends.
About the survey: The 2021 survey of 8,211 U.S. adults 18 and older was conducted February 1-9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
Historical Highlights
- 2020: 3 charts that explain why consumers are feeling lucky this St. Patrick’s Day
- 2019: 3 reasons consumers and retailers are marking their calendars for St. Patrick’s Day
- 2018: St. Patrick’s day spending to hit record $5.9 billion
- 2017: St. Patrick’s Day spending to reach $5.3 billion
- 2016: St. Patrick’s Day expected to give retailers a spring boost
- 2015: Consumers ready to let go of winter with traditional St. Patrick’s Day celebrations
Results of the St. Patrick’s Day spending survey are released each year in early March.