Fourth of July 2023 Facts & Figures

Do you have plans for Fourth of July 2023? This year is America’s 247th birthday, and It’s a popular time for food, family, and fireworks!

It’s also a popular time for travel, with nearly 51 million Americans planning to venture 50 miles or more from their home this year. This number is up 4% over 2022 and represents a new record, according to Wallethub. After the past few years of staying close to home, it seems that we’re all ready to go somewhere else!

The majority of those traveling (85%) plan to drive, but more than 4 million people will travel by plane.

 

Fourth of July 2023 Food Facts

Food often takes center stage (after fireworks, of course!) for the Independence Day holiday. How many hot dogs could you eat in ten minutes? Joey Chestnut holds the record: in 2021, he ate 76 hot dogs in ten minutes.

According to research from Wallethub, Americans plan to spend $9.5 billion on food this year! Here are a few other fun facts about expected consumer spending:

• Americans will spend around $3 billion on beer and wine
• 150 million hot dogs will be consumed 
• 65% of Americans plan to attend a picnic 

In 2022, Americans spent $844 million on beef products for the holiday. The second-largest expense for consumer grocery bills last year was chicken at $422 million- and Americans purchased 750 million pounds of poultry in the week leading up to July 4.

Festive Fireworks Celebrations

It wouldn’t be the 4^th of July without fireworks! Wallethub estimates that Americans spent more than $2.7 billion dollars on fireworks in 2022. Communities in the United States hold more than 14,000 firework displays each year, and 42% of us plan to attend one.

Do you know how expensive it is for cities to host a fireworks display? It can cost anywhere from $10-50K or more! A large portion of the cost is likely insurance, in addition to the actual fireworks- a minimum of $5 million in coverage is generally recommended.

A few other tidbits about fireworks:

• There’s a 42% decrease in air quality on July 4th because of fireworks
• The value of fireworks imported to the U.S. in 2022 was $596 million
• 97% of all fireworks are imported from China

Fun fact: one U.S. state, Massachusetts, bans all consumer fireworks. This probably makes pets really happy!

What are your plans for the holiday weekend? Will you travel or stay close to home? Let me know in the comment section!  

Summer Scanning Refresher 

As you plan your July 4^th activities, don’t forget to scan the products you buy! It’s easy to overlook last-minute purchases, especially if they’re things you don’t regularly buy. 

Remember to scan the purchases you make on the way to a picnic or barbecue. If you stop at the convenience store, grocery store or somewhere else, be sure to scan your snacks and beverages, including beer and liquor. If you’re traveling for the weekend, make sure to scan any travel-size items you buy to take along. 

Holiday purchases might include: 

• Charcoal & lighter fluid 
• Grilling utensils 
• Paper & plastic products 
• Condiments like mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce 
• Marinades and spices 
• Insect repellent & sunscreen 

PSC Info for the holiday weekend 

The Panel Support Center will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, July 3rd and 4th, in observance of Independence Day. It will reopen on Wednesday, July 5th.

Enjoy the weekend and stay safe! 

Best regards, 

Taylor 

More From NCP:

• Summer Scanning
• Summer Beverage Trends
• Fourth of July Food, Fun and Fireworks
• Happy Fourth Of July!
• How Are You Spending The Fourth Of July?
• Celebrating The Fourth Of July Holiday