A YouGov survey from 2024 found that the most popular Mother’s Day gift was a greeting card, with 43% of respondents saying they would prefer to receive this over any other gift.
This is something that the UK’s leading greeting cards and partyware supplier, Tiger Feet, have seen too, as cards were the wholesaler’s biggest revenue-generating category for Mother’s Day products last year.
As we approach Mother’s Day, Tiger Feet have shared insights on Mother’s Day card trends and how retailers can capitalise on the day.
Whilst Mother’s Day cards aren’t new, there has been an increased demand for them, with searches for ‘mothers day card’ growing 20% year on year in 2024. The wholesaler also saw a 20% increase in sales of Mother’s Day cards last year too, with this trend looking to continue this year.
A growing demand for alternative Mother’s Day cards
Over recent years the demand for alternative Mother’s Day cards has grown, showing that women outside of the traditional mother and child celebrations are increasingly being incorporated into Mother’s Day card giving.
Last year, Tiger Feet saw a year-on-year increase in sales of wholesale cards for ‘godmother’ (+60%), ‘1st Mother’s Day’ (+53%), ‘someone special’ (41%), and ‘wife’ (+33%).
Nicola Evans, Cards and Gift Wrap Category Manager at Tiger Feet, shares, “The increase in appetite for Mother’s Day greeting cards for those other than their mum is likely due to people wanting to celebrate all the special women in their life.”
“Having a wide variety of greeting cards available for all those important women in a person’s life is a great way to honour them, show them you love them, and make them feel included in this special day. A card may only be small, but it is so mighty and can bring a lot of joy and hold sentimental value for our loved ones.”
Grandmothers are playing a key part in Mother’s Day card-giving
Another family member who is becoming increasingly popular to gift a card to for Mother’s Day is grandmothers.
Grandparents go by many different names and last year, the wholesaler saw year-on year-sales increase for ‘grandmother’ (+79%), ‘nannie’ (+58%), ‘gran’ (+51%), ‘granny’ (+47%), ‘nanna’ (+39%) and ‘grandma’ (+15%) cards.
Evans comments: “This growing trend reflects the recognition of the role grandparents can play in family life, with many seeing their grandmothers as maternal figures, making them just as deserving of celebration on this special day.”
“The diverse ways people refer to their grandmothers are also reflected in the sales, as grandparents’ nicknames vary by region, and less formal and snappier names have become more popular. The variation highlights the personalisable nature of Mother’s Day cards, that are suitable for a number of families.”
