Australians are expected to spend a combined $720 million on gifts for dads, down $100 million from 2024.
However, many are set to spend more per person, with an average of $145 planned per gift-buyer—a jump of nearly 44 per cent compared to 2024, according to research from the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan.
ARA CEO, Chris Rodwell, admits there’s no hiding the fact we’re seeing a drop in gift giving this year.
“This year’s Father’s Day projections indicate around 20 per cent of Australians expect to buy gifts compared to 36 per cent in 2024,” he notes.
“This tells us how real the ongoing cost-of-living pressures are for many households. At the same time, families who can are choosing quality over quantity this year when it comes to celebrating dad. A quarter of gift-buyers plan to spend more than $200 and 26 per cent say they’ll spend more than they did in 2024.”
Popular gift choices this year include alcohol and food, clothing and footwear, grooming products and tech items, along with experiences such as dinners or trips.
“Older Australians in particular continue to make Father’s Day a priority, while younger groups are tightening their spending, likely because they face the greatest mortgage and budget pressures.”
