Did you know that the Fourth of
July is now becoming known as a shopping holiday?
Well, it is. A new consumer survey by the National Retail Federation revealed that plenty of people will get their shop on this holiday, although the fact that the holiday falls right in the middle of the week is putting a tiny damper on travel. Mostly, everyone is buying food for parties, holiday decorations, swimsuits and beachwear.
Good news for grocers: Food is one of the strongest-performing categories for Independence Day, according to Kathy Grannis, an NRF spokeswoman. More than 60 percent of consumers will have a cookout or barbecue, and Americans are expected to eat 150 million hot dogs for the holiday, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. Meanwhile, Florida accounted for 835 million pounds of watermelon produced last year.
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More than 17 percent of shoppers will have purchased patriotic merchandise (think flags, patches and pins). Swimsuit sales for Jacksonville retailer and mail order company Venus Swimwear peak during holidays like July 4. "While parts of the country can still be cold at spring break time, pretty much everywhere is hot and in summer mode by July 4," Venus founder Daryle Scott said. These past two weeks, sales have gone up nearly 25 percent, and the company is shipping 20,000 suits per week.
Travel is also popular this week. And there are lots of 4th of July sales this week, as well.
Whether you spend it shopping, traveling, or just hanging out with friends and family, have a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Did you know that the Fourth of
July is now becoming known as a shopping holiday?
Well, it is. A new 
