Almost 80% of Americans celebrated Easter last year, which amounted to over $18B in retail sales. But given the COVID-19 pandemic, how are shoppers spending their time and money this year?
With social distancing in place and religious centers around the globe closed, people are finding new ways to celebrate Easter and Passover this coming weekend. Some will stream online Easter church services while others plan to host virtual Passover Seder dinners or hold family-only egg hunts in the backyard to name a few.
One activity that consumers are into more than ever is cooking and baking. Social chatter about cooking and recipes are on the rise having increased 2501% since March 1. And people aren’t just cooking more, they are baking more too. Flour is number 15 in the fastest-growing categories having grown 238%. Baking mixes have grown 160%, cooking oil has grown 130% and baking ingredients have risen 84%.
So while certain categories like decorations and cards might be replaced with Zoom calls and family-only egg decorating, others are experiencing growth and providing a sense of normalcy to consumers.
As a result, many brands are retailers are still promoting Easter goods—but with a slant. Walmart is encouraging shoppers to “conveniently add easter items to your next store pick up.” King Soopers is aggregating Easter dinner essentials online for shoppers to find. And brands like Reese’s, Rice Krispies and M&Ms are offering content and ideas for shoppers to do at home.
In the coming months, many holidays like Easter and Passover will be reinvented for the current climate, but brands and retailers can still find opportunities to connect with shoppers and provide value.
Contributed By: Kira Walstrom, Insight & Strategy, Integer Denver
Image Source: Unsplash
