17 February 2021 449 words, 2 min. read

Valentine’s Day Figures [Market Research]

By Lorène Fauvelle PhD in marketing, director of IntoTheMinds
Commercial party or a romantic celebration? The debate is topical every year. What about Valentine’s Day figures? More than 27 billion dollars were spent in the United States in 2021 for February 14, compared to about 13 billion euros in […]

Commercial party or a romantic celebration? The debate is topical every year. What about Valentine’s Day figures? More than 27 billion dollars were spent in the United States in 2021 for February 14, compared to about 13 billion euros in France (or more than 15 billion U.S. dollars). A look back at market research and figures related to February 14.

Some figures on February 14

  • 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates sold in 2020 in the United States
  • 2nd day of the year when the most cards are offered, after Christmas (about 180 million worldwide)
  • 73% of men in couples offer flowers
  • The sale of roses generates-80% of florists’ revenues for Valentine’s Day.
  • 9 million people buy a gift for their pet
  • About 80% of the French population considers Valentine’s Day as a commercial event
  • 60% of couples in France celebrate Valentine’s Day


crédits : Shutterstock

Valentine’s Day in the United States

Finder has released its latest report on American buying behavior for Valentine’s Day 2021.

  • 68% of men buy a gift for February 14, in comparison with 60% of women
  • 20% of men buy gifts for several partners, compared to 6% of women
  • About 20% of generations Z, Y (Millennials), and X say they buy a gift for Valentine’s Day, compared to less than 3% of Baby-Boomers
  • > 35% of purchases are made via Amazon, > 35% in stores, 15% DIY, 10% via other e-commerce websites
  • 45% of generations Z and Y (Millennials) buy on Amazon, compared to 40% for generation X
  • 60% of Baby Boomers buy in stores

Qualifications of expenditures in 2021 compared to 2020:

  • -22% of spending on catering
  • -10% spending on activities
  • -9% spending on clothing
  • -64% spending on travel
  • +29% increase in spending on beauty products

Without a doubt, the covid-19 crisis has drastically impacted the flourishing sectors on Valentine’s Day. Find our analysis on non-food retail and the airline sector.



crédits : Shutterstock

Valentine’s day in France

  • 600 million roses sold
  • 45% of people celebrating February 14 spend less than 50 euros on gifts
  • 41% spending between 50 and 150 euros
  • 9% spending more than 150 euros
  • 11.4 billion euros were spent on campaigns for February 14 in 2019
  • +52% more “Saint-Valentin” (Valentine’s Day) queries on Google between 2018 and 2020

Internal research conducted by Altics among more than 250 couples reveals their purchasing behavior for February 14, 2017:

  • 65% of men purchase for February 14, compared to 53% of women.
  • 150 euros is the average basket for men, compared to 100 euros for women.
  • TOP 3 purchases made by men: jewelry, perfume, flowers
  • TOP 3 purchases made by women: clothing, perfume, watches
  • 30% of men’s purchases are made on the same day, compared to 20% for women.

Some unexpected marketing campaigns for Valentine’s Day

  • The frozen food brand Picard proposes a Duo Box that couples can cook together for the February 14 meal. 5 recipes are available on the brand’s podcast
  • Baker and hashtag #LesEclaireursDeLaSaintValentine to guide consumers in their choice of gifts
  • Monoprix unveils a selection of word games



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