Independence Day is right around the corner—a perfect excuse to unplug, unwind, and enjoy some summer fun! Whether you’re planning to fire up the grill, cool off with a swim, or catch up with friends and family, there’s something special about celebrating together. My family’s looking forward to all of the above—lots of good food, backyard relaxation, and time with the people we love most.
🎆 Festive Food and Fireworks
For many of us, Independence Day celebrations are all about the food, fun, and fireworks.
According to research from CapitalOne, most July Fourth spending is on food, followed by fireworks and decor. Americans spent an estimated total of $13.3 billion on food and beverages to celebrate the holiday last year.
Here are a few other fun facts about holiday spending:
- Americans spend an estimated total of $73.1 million on hot dogs for July 4th celebrations, purchasing approximately 150 million dogs.
- 79.2% of Americans planned to make a purchase in advance of their Fourth of July celebrations.
- From 2014 to 2024, average July 4th food total spending per person increased $22.26 or 32.7%.
- Americans spend $2.2 billion on fireworks for the Fourth of July.
- The average person who bought fireworks for the Fourth of July 2024 spent an estimated $27.06.
Did you know that July is National Hot Dog Month? According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, hot dog sales increase by an average of 20% each July! Somehow, that isn’t a surprise!
🛒Fourth of July Shopping
If you’re shopping in the weeks leading up to Independence Day, chances are you’re picking up something tied to the holiday. CapitolOne’s research found that 72% of Americans shopped for food items for July 4th celebrations last year—think hot dogs, hamburger buns, chips, condiments, and plenty of beverages. Most shoppers still prefer to find these essentials in brick-and-mortar stores, with supermarkets, club stores, and convenience stores being popular go-to spots.
But July 4th shopping isn’t just about food—it’s also the unofficial kickoff to summer deals. As the first major holiday of the season, retailers often roll out big promotions. Shoppers can find deep discounts on outdoor essentials like grills, patio furniture, pool floats, beach gear, fans, coolers, and gardening tools. Some stores even start back-to-school and dorm room promotions during this time!
📲 Don’t Forget to Scan Your Holiday Purchases!
As you gear up for your July 4th celebrations, don’t let those last-minute buys slip through the cracks—every purchase you scan helps us capture a complete picture of consumer behavior!
Whether you’re stocking up for a backyard barbecue, heading out on a road trip, or swinging by the store for picnic snacks, remember to scan it all. That includes stops at convenience stores, grocery runs for party supplies, and even those quick beverage grabs—yes, that includes beer, wine, and spirits!
If you’re traveling, be sure to scan any travel-size toiletries or holiday essentials you pick up along the way.
Common holiday purchases to watch for:
- Charcoal, lighter fluid & fire starters
- Grilling tools & accessories
- Paper plates, napkins, cups, and cutlery
- Condiments like mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce & relish
- Marinades, spice rubs & seasonings
- Sunscreen, bug spray & after-sun care
Whether you’re buying grilling supplies, sprucing up your backyard, or stocking up on sunscreen and bug spray, your purchases provide valuable insights when you scan them. The types of products people buy—and where they buy them—can shift from year to year, so your scans help paint an accurate picture of shopping trends across the country. Thanks for keeping your scans going strong through the holiday—your participation matters!
💁 PSC Info for the holiday
The Panel Support Center will be closed on Friday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.
Enjoy the weekend and stay safe!
Best regards,
Taylor
Blog comment reminder: If you have a panel-related issue that you need assistance with such as a problem with scanning or your rewards, please contact our Panel Support Center directly and they will be happy to assist you! You can reach them at 1-800-962-6700 or email them at [email protected]. You can send a message from NCP’s Facebook page. Please don’t enter panel-related issues or share any personal panel membership information in the blog comment section. Any issues will be addressed faster if you contact our support center directly. Thank you so much!
I am truly surprised about how much money was spent on the Fireworks, when people keep saying they are struggling to make ends meet; paying for rent/mortgage, utilities, and most of complaining of food insecurity due to the high prices.
I personally don’t buy fireworks whether I can afford it or not since it affects my mental health due to my wartime service. Even before that though, I would just watch the city/town display of fireworks which I already paid for with taxes and can’t see any reason to add to the cost of buying my own. Plus living in a very rural area, Texas usually; except for this year, is normally not a great place to use fireworks since it normally is a very arid environment that’s hit by severe drought for many years and often causes wildfires that spread very quickly and places people, property’s and always the fire fighters and other first responders life on the line when the fires get out of hand. Whereas the cities/towns have professionals usually take care of the fireworks to avoid disasters with proper layout and planning for it. I personally nearly lost my entire property several years ago after a neighbor had his fireworks display and afterwards heading to town. While they left one of their rockets that had come down landed on our property line and at first started just a few sparks that were not even visible at a distance; we have acreage between us. If I hadn’t woken up that night/morning for some fresh air and stepped out onto my backyard porch, I could’ve burned up while asleep in my house. I had not noticed it immediately either when stepping out, but a sudden breeze of wind hit and I saw fire everywhere. I immediately called the fire department and was glad I didn’t try to put it out on my own like I would normally do if it’s just a small fire pit flame because the more wind that started coming through the quicker it spread. Thankfully the fire department was able to distinguish the flames before it burned both of our homes. So now, I can’t even get to sleep for several hours after anyone sets of fireworks in the fear it might happen again. Although, I am very lucky that I only have one neighbor now who uses fireworks and no longer four of them like it used to be and the rest are like myself watching very closely for any areas that might have embers glowing that could start something. People that are new to living in the rural areas, often have no clue of how bad of a disaster a fire can have on so many lives when it’s not properly controlled and planned out with emergency preparedness and precautions set up.
Have a happy 4th.