3 On Your Side: Easter Spending Averages $140.62
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After some sluggish winter months, retailers hope the Easter holiday puts a spring in the step of consumers. How much do you plan to spend? 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan takes a look at the numbers.
The National Retail Federation expects total Easter spending to reach $16.4 billion, that's $140.62 of spending on average. About three dollars more than last year.
As Americans spend the holiday with family and friends, it's expected they'll spend the bulk of that money - $5.3 billion overall on food for an Easter brunch or dinner.
But all of those bunnies and jelly beans do add up, to about $2.2 billion spent on Easter candy and after a miserable winter, retailers expect an estimated $2.9 billion to be spent on apparel during Easter.