Carnival beats Valentine's Day: One in twelve people prefers to shop for carnival rather than for love.
Valentine's Day on February 14th is a popular shopping occasion in Germany. The German Retail Federation (HDE) expects additional sales of over one billion euros around the day of love this year.
A survey commissioned by the HDE shows that one in five consumers plans to spend money on Valentine's Day.
„Valentine’s Day is a matter close to the hearts of many consumers. With special product ranges tailored to the occasion, retailers ensure that everyone can find small tokens of appreciation for their loved ones,“ said Stefan Genth, CEO of the German Retail Federation (HDE).
According to a survey, 20 percent of consumers plan to shop on Valentine's Day. That's almost eight percentage points less than last year. One reason for this is that Valentine's Day and Carnival Saturday fall on the same day this year.
One in twelve consumers surveyed stated that they would forgo Valentine's Day and instead spend money on Carnival. The German Retail Federation (HDE) anticipates correspondingly lower additional, occasion-related sales for Valentine's Day. While these sales amounted to €1.3 billion in 2025, they are expected to fall to only €1.18 billion in 2026.
Most consumers planning to spend around Valentine's Day this year intend to spend the same amount as last year (59 percent). More than a fifth of those surveyed (22 percent), however, plan to spend less than last year. Just under a fifth (19 percent) indicate they intend to spend more money on Valentine's Day gifts.
On Valentine's Day, consumers primarily buy flowers and plants, as well as food. Gift vouchers, decorative items, cosmetics, watches, and jewelry are also frequently purchased for this occasion.
The population-representative survey was conducted by IFH Cologne on behalf of the HDE. 500 people were interviewed.
