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With both touring and festival seasons ramping up, fan spending at concerts is once again in the spotlight. As we head into the full swing of 2025, concertgoers’ purchasing habits continue to evolve, revealing key trends that will shape the year ahead. From shifting merchandise preferences to new spending behaviors, here’s what we’re seeing so far—and what to watch for next. Let’s dive in!
What Are Fans Spending At Concerts
On average, fans spend the most on merchandise, when buying merchandise, food, and drinks. On average, 22% of fans are buying merchandise at concerts.
What Percentage Of Fans Buy Merch, Food Or Drinks At Concerts?
At concerts, about 19% of fans buy merchandise, while approximately 90% purchase at least one food or drink item.
Breaking It Down By Category
Merchandise
Has fan spending increased or decreased?
The average fan spends $60 (pre-tax) on merchandise, up 7% from prior years and in 2025 is showing that same average. When broken down by attendance grouping, average spending ranges from $45 to $90, increasing as the average attendance grows.
Has the percentage of fans buying merchandise changed this year?
In 2024 the overall average was 22%, a 1% increase from 2023. In the middle of the year we did see that dip down to 19% but trended back up and is what we are currently seeing so far in 2025. Sales at concerts with other attendance numbers have either remained the same or increased compared to 2023.
How does attendance interest in merchandise compare by genre?
It's no surprise that K-pop merchandise remains the most popular, with 27% of fans purchasing merchandise. Heavy metal and indie rock have notably increased from their 2023 averages, jumping into the top 5 this year at 21%. Folk has also jumped from ranking 15th in 2023 to 9th in 2024.
How many items are fans buying?
The average number of items purchased is 1.9, an increase from 1.4 in 2023 and with 2024 seeing an average of 1.7. The percentage of fans buying 2-3 items increased from 25% to 33% in 2024, while 52% are buying a single item, down from 60% in 2023. Most genres are seeing an increased interest in accessories, also helping drive that average item increase from prior years.
The top-selling merch items (by volume sold)
Food & Beverage
What percentage of fans purchase food, drinks, or both food and drinks?
About 9 out of 10 concert attendees purchase at least one drink. In contrast, approximately 1 in 4 buy food, and almost all those who purchase food also buy a drink.
What do fans spend on food & drinks?
The average fan spends $31 on food and drinks. Interestingly, fans who only purchase drinks spend more than those who only buy food.
What are the top selling drinks?
Drink preferences vary by genre at concerts. Cocktails sell more at hip-hop/rap and metal concerts, while seltzers are popular at folk and pop concerts. Overall, beer is the top-selling item, with water being a close second.
What are the top-selling food items?
The food can vary depending on the venue, but the following items are consistently top sellers at most locations.
Stay tuned as we continue to update these metrics as the concert season is in full swing!
Cheers!
Updated: February 2025
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