Easter statistics UK 2021
How much are we planning to spend this Easter?
This year, Easter falls between 2 April and 5 April, but the Easter eggs have been piling up at local supermarkets for weeks now. Here at Finder, we conducted our annual survey to find out how much Brits expect to spend over the four-day weekend and whether spending trends have changed with the increased need to save during lockdown. If you’re still looking for Easter treats, take a look at our gift guide for great ideas on chocolate eggs and gifts for this Easter.
Quick overview
- Three quarters of Brits (74%) plan to celebrate Easter. This is a decrease of 2.2 million people from 2019.
- The average Brit will spend £25 on Easter this year, which is a 10% (£3) decrease on 2020’s figure and an 18% (£5) decrease on 2019’s figure.
- 62% of Brits are planning to spend money this Easter weekend, down from 69% in 2019, before COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were imposed.
- 12% of Brits will be celebrating without spending, this is up from 11% in 2020 and 9% in 2019.
- This means that in 2021, Brits are set to spend £810 million over Easter, a 10% (£92 million) decrease on 2020 and a 26% (£280 million) decrease on 2019.
Easter spending trends
Our research suggests that lockdown has forced many families to cut back over the Easter weekend. Brits plan to spend, on average, 18% less this year than they did in 2019. 1 in 10 Brits (12%) plan on celebrating without spending at all.
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spend per person | £24.86 | £27.66 | £30.14 |
| Percentage of population spending | 62.19% | 62.25% | 69.00% |
| Number of people spending | 32,592,005 | 32,621,082 | 36,158,307 |
| Total spend | £960,823,807 | £1,058,117,841 | £1,231,960,695 |
Easter spending across the UK
Residents in London plan to spend the most, with the average spend being £35. Residents in Northern Ireland are most likely to be spending over Easter, with 86% of the population planning to spend. At the other end of the spectrum, Scotland’s residents plan to spend the least, at £16 on average. They’re also the least likely to spend (46%).
| East of England | Greater London | East Midlands | West Midlands | North East | North West | Northern Ireland | Scotland | South East | South West | Wales | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual spend | £23.36 | £35.22 | £19.82 | £22.66 | £28.30 | £23.52 | £35.00 | £16.44 | £23.82 | £24.33 | £22.14 | £22.18 |
| Percentage of population spending | 62.57% | 74.14% | 57.93% | 64.41% | 65.43% | 60.27% | 86.21% | 45.83% | 64.47% | 61.63% | 53.13% | 55.42% |
Generational differences in Easter spending
Millennials plan to spend the most, with the average spend being £31, while baby boomers plan to spend the least, at £20 on average. Millennials are also the most likely to spend, with 81% of this age group saying they will part with their money over Easter. Baby boomers are also the least likely to spend over Easter, with only 68% of this generation intending to do so.
| Gen Z | Millennials | Gen X | Baby boomers | Silent generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual spend | £29.98 | £30.52 | £20.98 | £20.17 | £20.41 |
| Percentage of population spending | 77.78% | 80.74% | 72.53% | 67.82% | 67.90% |
