This year’s early Easter may have impacted what many consumers spent on St. Patrick’s Day supplies. With the annual green holiday falling on Monday and Easter coming up this Sunday, retailers likely haven’t had enough shelf space to fully market products for both celebrations, reports the National Retail Federation.

For that reason, the federation predicted that St. Patrick’s Day sales would be lower this year, at an estimated $3.64 billion, compared with $3.76 billion last year.

Still, Easter spending is predicted to be about the same as last year. The average person will spend about $135.03, which practically is flat compared with last year’s $135.07 in Easter expenditures, the NRF reports. Consumers plan to spend more on Easter meals and related foods than on candy and stuffed bunnies, according to the survey.

Speaking of Easter spending, what do you think of a recent Wal-Mart commercial where a mother talks about filling her children’s Easter baskets with candy from the discount retail giant?

On a Wal-Mart blog , some mothers are blasting the retailer, claiming that the commercial has caused their children to question the Easter Bunny's existence.

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• Posted by Jenny Kincaid Boone in Consumer news/issues
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