WASHINGTONCandy will be the most popular gift this Valentine's Day, with nearly half of adult consumers giving candy as a gift and spending about $22 on the sweet treats, according to the National Retail Federations 2014 Valentines Day spending survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics.
This year, 48.7% will buy candy to gift for Valentine's Day compared to 51% last year. However, adults will spend about the same in 2014 as in 2013about $22, estimated to total $1.39 billion in 2014. Men will spend $108.38 on gifts for their significant otherstwice as much as women who will spend $49.41 on their special someone.
Other gifts will include flowers (37.3%) and over half (51.2%) will send greeting cards. Others will give more practical gifts like clothing (15.8%) or gift cards (14%). Nineteen percent will treat their significant other to something sparklyjewelry spending will total $3.9 billion, and 37% will celebrate with an evening out, spending an estimated total of $3.5 billion.
And Valentines Day isnt just for couples; people will show their appreciation for family members (59.4%), friends (21.7%), teachers (20.4%) and colleagues (12.1%).
Regardless, those who receive candy this Valentine's Day can enjoy their treats without the guilta recent study found higher chocolate consumption was associated with lower levels of total fat and abdominal fat, independent of physical activity levels and diet.