Study: Economic and political uncertainty affects how Romanians plan their Easter holidays

The current economic and political uncertainty is affecting the way in which eight out of ten Romanians plan their Easter holidays, shows a study conducted by Reveal Marketing Research, released on Wednesday.The research aimed to find out how Romanians prepare for the Easter holidays and to what extent their behavior and needs have changed compared to a similar study conducted last year.Thus, 48% of those surveyed noted changes in the way they celebrate Easter in recent years, with economic and political uncertainty affecting the way eight out of ten Romanians plan their Easter holidays.The study shows that the number of people planning to give Easter presents is decreasing, from 67% (2024) to 58% (2025).According to the survey, the most commonly mentioned emotions that the holiday evokes are feelings of peace (17%), happiness and excitement (16%) and well-being (11%).On the other hand, the predominantly negative thoughts do not leave 30% of Romanians, the main feelings being melancholy and sadness (8%), indifference (5%) or fatigue (4%).79% of respondents plan to spend Easter at home with their family. Easter is perceived as a family holiday, and most will spend it again this year with their partner (64%), children (51%) or parents (46%).The custom of fasting during Easter is still practiced by one in two Romanians. Of these, 18% fast only during Holy Week, 18% only on Wednesdays and Fridays, and 12% fast all day.The way Romanians choose to celebrate Easter is changing, with 48% of respondents saying they have seen changes in the way they celebrate Easter in recent years, up 4% from 2024. These changes are particularly felt by people aged 35 to 44 (56%).The main changes mentioned are the transition from a traditional to a more modern approach to celebrating Easter (35%), the desire to celebrate Easter away from the commercial hustle and bustle in a more authentic and profound way (28%) and the adoption of more simplified and eco-friendly Easter celebrations to avoid over-consumption (20%). Compared to last year, there has been a significant increase in the transition from a traditional to a more modern approach, from 22% to 35%.Regarding the meaning of Easter for Romanians, most of them believe that Easter means a balanced combination of traditions and rituals and connection with loved ones (32%). On the other hand, 23% emphasize traditions and customs, while 22% focus more on connection and communication with loved ones.As for traditions, 78% of Romanians plan to attend the Resurrection service, similar to last year.In terms of interpersonal connections and their importance, 67% of respondents mention that there are loved ones in their lives who live out of town with whom they would like to spend Easter.Thus, most will use technology to feel closer to loved ones who are far away, with the majority sending Easter greetings via phone or video calls (60%).The most common measures taken by Romanians for Easter are paying more attention to spending (41%), cutting back on food and gifts (28%) and choosing more affordable vacation options (14%).This year, Easter will be marked by a more financially prudent approach. Although 40% of Romanians say they will allocate a bigger budget than in 2024, this increase reflects inflation adjustment rather than an intention to consume more. At the same time, 39% say they will spend a similar amount as last year, while 21% plan to reduce their budget.The saving trend is also reflected in gift-giving plans. The percentage of those who say they will give Easter presents fell from 67% in 2024 to 58% this year. The most frequent recipients of these gifts remain children (67%), their partner (58%) and parents (39%).As for the estimated budget for Easter holidays, 44% of Romanians expect to spend between 500 and 1500 RON, 37% under 500 RON, and 14% will allocate higher amounts, between 1500 - 3000 RON.The survey was conducted online between April 3-9 on a representative sample of people aged 18+, internet users, from urban and rural areas. The sample size was 1,009 respondents and the maximum sampling error is +/- -3.1% at a 95% confidence level.