Traditional holidays like Mother’s Day, Easter, and Valentine’s Day see the highest participation rates. Yet, occasions like Halloween are gaining popularity, especially among younger consumers. This holiday appeals to a broad audience, offering family-friendly activities alongside events for adults, creating significant opportunities for brands and retailers to engage with consumers and drive sales.
While non-winter holidays hold emotional value for many, they are not immune to the effects of inflation. Economic pressures may lead consumers, particularly lower-income households and those managing debt, to prioritize more affordable ways to celebrate or skip celebrating. While others will continue to take advantage of sales and promotions during these periods to purchase big-ticket items.
Children and traditions are key motivators for celebrating non-winter holidays. However, the growing trend of individuals choosing not to have children poses a challenge to the longevity of these celebrations. To address this, businesses can position these holidays as inclusive for all ages and introduce modern, fresh interpretations to keep consumers engaged and connected to these celebrations.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Macroeconomic factors are impacting non-winter holidays
- Non-winter holidays consumers observed or celebrated
- Items shopped for during/around non-winter holidays
- Shopping behaviors during these occasions
- Attitudes toward non-winter holidays
Economic pressures continue to shape shopping habits. Budget-friendly, inclusive options that cater to diverse age groups drive engagement in these celebrations.
Marisa Ortega, Analyst – Retail & eCommerce
Market Definitions
This Report focuses on holidays such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Halloween, and federal holidays, such as Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, as well as other religious and cultural celebrations separate from major winter holidays.
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
-
MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Economic progress has stalled; annual inflation rises and consumer sentiment falls
- The global cocoa market is facing significant challenges, leading to increased prices for chocolate
- The socio-political environment presents a dual challenge
- Graph 1: distribution of US generations by race, 2023
- Declining birth rates in the US could impact non-winter holidays
- Anticipated spending
- Consumers adjust their spending on non-winter holidays due to lingering inflation
- Graph 2: anticipated total expenditures, in current dollars, 2014-24
- Holiday performance
- Valentine’s Day is evolving beyond romantic gifting
- Rising spending trend for Father’s Day
- Maximize Easter potential through seasonal offerings
-
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Consumer fast facts (Continued)
- Spending approach
- Non-winter holidays are significant for consumers and companies alike
- Graph 3: attitudes toward non-winter holidays – NET – any agree, 2024
- Individuals in the 35-54 age group are a key target for non-winter holidays
- Holidays observed or celebrated
- Non-winter holidays are widely celebrated
- Graph 4: non-winter holidays observed or celebrated, 2024
- Younger consumers are drawn to occasions that celebrate relationships and foster a sense of community
- Graph 5: non-winter holidays typically observed or celebrated, by age, 2024
- Brands tap into sponsored events for St Patrick’s Day
- Connect with Hispanic consumers through cultural celebrations
- Graph 6: non-winter holidays typically observed or celebrated, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Michaels appeals to Hispanic consumers through the Day of the Dead
- Non-winter holiday purchases
- Food, beverage and candy drive non-winter holiday spending
- Graph 7: non-winter holiday purchases, 2024
- These occasions present opportunities beyond the standard items
- Younger consumers spend big on non-winter holidays
- Graph 8: non-winter holiday purchases, by age, 2024
- Hispanic shoppers embrace joyful spending
- Graph 9: non-winter holiday purchases, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Retailers shopped
- Shoppers stick to the retailers they know and trust for their non-winter holiday needs
- Graph 10: retailers shopped for non-winter holidays, 2024
- Amazon positions itself as a one-stop shopping destination
- Shopping behaviors
- Non-winter holidays inspire treat-yourself shopping moments
- Earn younger consumers through moral values, digital tools and experiential retail
- Graph 11: shopping behaviors for non-winter holidays, by age, 2024
- Unlock opportunities with Asian savvy shoppers
- Graph 12: shopping behaviors for non-winter holidays, by race and Hispanic origin, 2024
- Attitudes toward non-winter holidays
- Tap into the emotional component of the holidays to resonate with consumers
- Graph 13: attitudes toward non-winter holidays – NET – any agree, 2024
- Non-winter holidays are about creating meaningful moments with loved ones, new places, or oneself
- Graph 14: attitudes toward non-winter holidays – NET – any agree, 2024
- Holiday plans vary across demographics
- Multicultural holidays provide year-round engagement opportunities
- Graph 15: attitudes toward non-winter holidays – NET – any agree. 2024
- Individuals in the 18-44; and parents support cultural diversity in holiday celebrations
- Empower consumers through personalized communications
- Graph 16: attitudes toward non-winter holidays – NET – any agree, 2024
- Strengthen consumers’ connection to the brand through non-winter holiday specific offerings
- Graph 17: attitudes toward non-winter holidays – NET – any agree, 2024
- Brands’ holiday traditions and limited-edition, seasonal products get younger consumers attention
- Pepsi collaborated with chef Bobby Flay to create a unique fragrance for Father’s Day
- Approach to non-winter holidays
- Non-winter holidays are opportunities to expand customer reach
- Graph 18: approach to non-winter holidays, by gender and age, 2024
- Shopping early is convenient and advantageous for consumers
- Graph 19: approach to non-winter holidays, by age, 2024
- Home Depot launched a “halfway to Halloween” sale
- Leverage non-winter holidays to foster stronger connections with consumers
- Graph 20: approach to non-winter holidays, by age, 2024
-
INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Launch activity and innovation
- Mattel introduced a new Barbie to honor Diwali
- Ghia and Alice Mushrooms teamed up for a Valentine’s collab
- Marketing and advertising
- Amazon adds a “Get it by tomorrow” filter to its Valentine’s Day Shop
- Michaels promotes DIY Halloween Costumes
-
APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Total anticipated spending
- Anticipated average expenditures per person
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook available on our platform
-
Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports
Discount automatically applied in basket
Get in Touch
If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.
Contact usTrusted by global industry leaders
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.
As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.
We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.
Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Get in Touch
If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.
Contact us
