Australians splashing out a fortune on their mums this Mother’s Day

SPENDING for Mother’s Day is up massively this year — and it’s largely because sons and daughters have become more interested in spoiling their mums. This is what they’re buying.

SPECIAL experiences including pamper packages, beauty treatments and dinner dates will be among the most popular presents this Mother’s Day as spending surges by 42 per cent.

In what is the biggest shopping month of the year for jewellers behind the Christmas spending season, new figures from the Commonwealth Bank has revealed Australians in the week leading up to Mother’s Day spent $458 million — up 42 per cent since 2015.

And the biggest driver for this hike is sons and daughters are more interested in splashing out on vouchers and experiences for their mothers.

Australian Retailers Association’s executive director Russell Zimmerman said spending on mothers is much bigger than on fathers and he hopes shoppers will open their wallets this weekend.

Olympic canoeist Jess Fox with her mother Myriam on the Nepean River, Leonay, today. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“Although the usual Mother’s Day gifts like slippers, perfume and pyjamas are still high on the wish list this year, we are seeing retailers push more electronic gifts to suit the needs of the modern-day mum,’’ he said.

CBA data shows in 2017 consumers spent $28.4 million in the week leading up to Mother’s Day on experiences.

Social analyst David Chalke said the big trend is “towards experiences” for mothers.

“It started to rise up five years ago, they would rather spend money on experiences instead than material possessions,’’ he said.

“Most people have everything already.”

Mr Zimmerman said fitness tracking devices are among the items that will fly off the shelves including Fitbits and smartwatches.

Flowers are always a popular present on Mother’s Day.

But for some mums breakfast in bed or having odd jobs completed around the home will be a special treat and one that doesn’t hit the hip pocket hard.

Items including flowers are also popular and Interflora’s chief executive officer Garry Gerrard said he expected Mother’s Day be as busy as ever.

The CBA data also found spending on cinema and theatre tickets and health and beauty spa treatments is has proven popular climbing by $5 million since 2015.

CBA’s executive general manager for small business Angela Clark said restaurants were set for a bumper weekend ahead and said shoppers are not afraid to spend up.

Perfume is also tipped to be popular this year.

“Really giving mum an experienced treat is leading to higher expenditure,’’ she said.

“A bunch of flowers versus taking someone out for dinner is a higher cost.”

The figures show restaurant spending rose to $20 million in 2017 — up from $13 million in 2015.

For the same period hardware spending rose from $31.4 million to $40.4 million.

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Originally published as Australians splashing out a fortune on their mums this Mother’s Day