Valentine’s Day Jewelry Spending to Reach Record Highs – NRF

US customers will buy $7 billion worth of jewelry for Valentine’s Day, setting a new record for the segment, according to a projection from the National Retail Federation (NRF). 

That will make it the biggest category for consumer spending by value, ahead of an evening out, clothing and flowers, the NRF said last week. That figure is 8% higher than the $6.5 billion the NRF predicted shoppers would spend on jewelry for the holiday last year.

Overall sales on gifts for loved ones will come to $29.1 billion, the NRF forecast — up 6% from 2025’s $27.5 billion estimate, and the highest figure since the NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics began conducting their annual survey in 2004. 

“Much of that growth is driven by middle- and high-income shoppers who are expanding their gift lists to include friends, coworkers and even pets in addition to loved ones,” said Katherine Cullen, NRF vice president of industry and consumer insights.

More than half of US shoppers said they would celebrate the holiday in 2026, the NRF reported. Among those planning to buy, the average consumer is likely to lay out $200, up 6% from last year and beating the previous record of $196 in 2020. The majority of those celebrating plan to purchase a gift for their significant other, which will bring in $14.5 billion, down 0.7% year on year. Total outlay on gifts for family members is set to grow 4.7% to $4.5 billion.

One third of consumers also plan to buy gifts for friends, on par with last year. About 27% will purchase gifts for their children’s classmates and teachers, while 21% hope to buy gifts for coworkers. Setting a record, pet owners are expected to spend $2.1 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets, up 24% from 2025.

“Valentine’s Day underscores the value of relationships, and for many people, the connection they share with their pets is an important one,” said Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy.

Among gift options, candy was the most popular, with 56% intending to buy that product, while flowers and greeting cards each accounted for 41%. More than one third planned an evening out, and around 25% selected jewelry as their preferred option.

The survey found that 38% of all shoppers expected to make their purchases online, while 34% aimed to buy from department stores, 30% from discount shops, and 21% at specialty locations. 

Image: A couple celebrating Valentine’s Day. (Shutterstock)