Chicago-based Numerator has launched a new holiday sentiment study to understand the impact of the pandemic and vaccination status on upcoming holiday celebrations.
The April sentiment survey of nearly 4,000 consumers shows the following key findings according to a news release:
- American consumers are expecting a return to normal holiday celebrations (free of COVID-19 restrictions) later in 2021. Nearly a quarter of consumers (24%) say they have already celebrated at least one 2021 holiday normally, and nearly 3 in 5 (59%) expect a return to normalcy on or before the 4th of July;
- Consumers who do not plan to get the vaccine are twice as likely to say they are ready to celebrate holidays on a larger scale, and 57% say they are ready to celebrate holidays normally;
- Fully vaccinated consumers are the most cautious group, with 36% saying they will ease back into normal celebrations, and 16% planning to stick to small scale celebrations for the foreseeable future, even after restrictions are lifted;
- Nearly 3 in 10 (29%) expect their Memorial Day plans to be unaffected by the pandemic, though consumers are still 51% less likely to travel vs previous years;
- Grilling/Barbecuing and Gathering with Family/Friends are expected to remain the top celebration methods, though both are expected to see decreases in 2021 as consumers remain cautious regarding large gatherings. Consumers are 15% less likely to grill or barbecue in 2021 than previous years and 27% less likely to gather with family and friends;
- Consumers are 31% more likely to order food/drinks for takeout or delivery -- the only celebration method which saw an increase from previous years;
- Fewer consumers plan to buy grills (51% in previous years vs 35% in 2021) or grilling materials (29% vs 13%) than in years past;
- 2 in 5 consumers (40%) expect their Father’s Day plan to be unaffected by COVID, the highest of any spring or summer holiday to-date; and
- The top five Father’s Day gifting categories include: Gift Cards (53% of gift givers), Apparel (35%), Food/Drinks (22%), Electronics (11%), and Sporting Goods (10%).