Australians are projected to spend around $730 million on Father’s Day gifts this year, which is up by $10 million or 1.4 per cent compared to 2025.
This comes from new research by the Australian Retail Council, in partnership with Roy Morgan, which revealed that more Australians are planning to buy a gift for Dad this Father’s Day, but tighter household budgets are keeping average spending down.
According to the survey results, 5.5 million Australians – or 23 per cent of the population – plan to buy a Father’s Day gift this year, up from 4.7 million, or 20 per cent, in 2025.
While that represents an increase of 800,000 shoppers, participation remains well below the 35 per cent of Australians who planned to buy a gift in 2023 and 36 per cent in 2024.
And despite the bump up in total spending, the average amount shoppers expect to spend has fallen from $145 last year to $135 this year, a decline of 6.9 per cent.
ARC chief industry engagement officer Fleur Brown said the figures showed Australians remain keen to celebrate the important people in their lives, but household budgets are under pressure.
“It is encouraging to see more Australians planning to buy a Father’s Day gift this year, but we are some way below the participation levels from a few years ago,” Brown said.
“Australians want to celebrate Dad, but they are being careful about how much they spend. We have more people shopping compared to 2025, yet the average budget has come back, which tells us value remains front of mind for households.
“Father’s Day remains an important occasion, with retailers getting behind options to cater for every budget.”
Among shoppers who already know what they plan to buy, food and alcohol are the most popular Father’s Day gift, at 29 per cent, followed by clothing, shoes and sleepwear (19 per cent), experiences such as dinner or a trip (14 per cent), and vouchers or gift cards (11 per cent).
In-person celebrations are important this year. Around 8.7 million Australians, or 37 per cent, plan to celebrate Father’s Day with breakfast, lunch or dinner at home, at a restaurant or café – up from 28 per cent last year.
Around 12 per cent of Australians – 2.8 million people – also plan to purchase a Father’s Day gift for someone other than their birth father this year, up from 1.9 million people in 2025.
Brown encouraged shoppers to support retailers that invest in Australian jobs and communities when shopping for Dad.
“As Australians head out to find something special for Dad, we encourage them to back the retailers that back Australia – businesses that employ Australians, invest here and support communities right across the country,” Brown said.
“Whether it is a local small business or one of Australia’s major retailers, choosing businesses that invest and employ here helps support Australian jobs and communities.
“We wish all the dads, grandfathers and father figures across Australia a very happy Father’s Day.”