Friends, Co-Workers, and Teachers Join Gift Lists
Source:Holiday Party /
Time:2026-08-24
Valentine's Day spending is expanding beyond romantic partners, with consumers spreading their budgets across multiple recipients .
Gifting Breakdown:
Friends: 33% of consumers, spending $2.4 billion
Children's classmates/teachers: 27% of consumers, spending $2.2 billion
Co-workers: 21% of consumers, spending $1.7 billion
Other family members: 58%, spending $4.5 billion
Melissa Minkow, global director of retail strategy at CI&T, told Inside Retail: "It's very smart of brands to move this way, considering the singles population continues to grow, and because 65% of consumers told us they expect prices to go up in the next few years. It's a lot easier to justify self-spend than it is gifting!"
