Mother’s Day spend is expected to rise this year with over half of consumers intending to buy gifts, although inflation is forcing shoppers to trade down.
Despite price remaining a key concern, shoppers are forecast to splash out £1.7bn on the celebration. This is a 1.1% increase on last year, according to GlobalData.
However, high inflation means consumers are paying more for less, indicating mums are likely to receive less impressive gifts than last year.
The data and analytics company also found 41% of consumers who plan to or have already bought a gift for Mother’s Day have a budget of less than £20.
GlobalData noted that food gifts and flowers were set to be popular choices this year and encouraged retailers to focus on showcasing entry price points to entice greater spend on the occasion.
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GlobalData analyst Joe Dawson said: “Consumers still have tight budgets, and seeking out the lowest prices has become a norm for many. To capitalise on the high participation in the event, retailers must ensure that they are promoting the affordability of their ranges by clearly signposting Mother’s Day deals and discounts online and instore.
“The grocers are particularly well placed to benefit from consumers looking to cut back and should use exclusive loyalty scheme offers and discounts to encourage shoppers to spend more.”
The survey found that around a fifth of consumers intend to buy clothing (19%) or jewellery (21%) this Mother’s Day, and Dawson recommended that retailers should cater to those looking to cut back by offering a range of price points on those categories.
Dawson added: “While the proportion of consumers intending to purchase gifts is higher for Mother’s Day than it was on Valentine’s Day, it is still lower than the 65% of consumers that participated in the event in 2023.
“Showcasing high quality products at affordable prices will be key to appealing to consumers looking to treat their loved ones at a lower cost and capturing greater spend closer to the date.”
Last year, Mother’s Day boosted UK retail sales in March, as retail revenues climbed slightly less than for the previous month.
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