This Spring Feels Different. The Data Backs It Up.
Spring doesn't begin with warmer weather. It begins with a shift in mindset, the moment consumers start imagining what they want their lives to look like on the other side of winter. And based on Chicory's Spring 2026 Consumer Capture survey of over 500 U.S. consumers, that shift is already well underway.
After a winter that hit harder than usual for nearly 40% of Americans, the pull toward spring is strong. 64% of consumers say they're more eager than usual for the season to arrive. That eagerness isn't passive. It's translating directly into planning, spending, and purchasing behavior across a wide range of categories.
Consumers Are Ready to Re-Engage
The data paints a picture of a consumer base coming out of hibernation with real intent. 66% expect to spend more time outdoors this spring and summer compared to last year. 43% plan to host more gatherings as a direct result of this winter. Backyard BBQs, casual weeknight get-togethers, holiday celebrations. Plans are taking shape right now, weeks before the season officially begins.
Plus, with more hosting comes more shopping. 59% of consumers say they're more likely to do a deep spring clean or home refresh this year compared to previous years. That's a statistic worth sitting with. Spring cleaning will be a full household reset this year, one that touches nearly every aisle of the store.
Spending Intent Spans the Full Store
When we asked consumers where they expected to increase spending this spring, the results told a story that goes well beyond any single category. Groceries for entertaining came in first at 41%, followed closely by seasonal food and beverages at 39%. But the categories right behind them are just as telling.
33% plan to spend more on cleaning and organization products. 31% on outdoor and home improvement. 24% on allergy medications and related health products. Nearly a quarter of all consumers are planning to put allergy and cold and flu products in their basket this spring, a figure that sits comfortably alongside the food categories.
The throughline is the store itself. Consumers aren't thinking in categories. They're thinking about spring, about hosting, refreshing, and getting outside, and every one of those intentions maps to a trip down a different aisle. The household with a backyard BBQ on the calendar is the same household stocking up on paper towels, restocking the pantry, and grabbing allergy medication before the pollen kicks in. One shopper, one mindset, one basket.
The List Starts Before the Store Visit
The decisions are being made well before shoppers walk through the door. The consumer planning a spring gathering is browsing recipes, building shopping lists, and mentally stocking their kitchen days in advance. The consumer doing a home refresh is already thinking about what they're out of and what they need more of.
That pre-store planning window is where purchase intent forms. And it's where the most valuable opportunity for brands exists. Not just in the aisle, where decisions have largely already been made, but really in the high-intent moments of inspiration and planning that precede the trip.
Chicory reaches consumers in exactly those moments, as they browse recipes, compile shopping lists, and think through what they need for the week ahead. It's a contextual environment where spring hosting plans, fresh seasonal meals, and household resets all converge. With consumer intent this high heading into the season, the brands showing up in those moments will be the ones that make the list.
Interested in learning how Chicory can help your brand reach high-intent spring shoppers? Book a meeting today.
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