Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Sugar and other sweets spending

U.S. households spent $230/yr on sugar and other sweets in 2024 - 0.3% of the average budget . Down 3.8% vs 2023 ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 2.3×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$230
Budget share
0.3%
vs 2023
-3.8%

CES spend plate

Line SUGAR-AND-OTHER-SW · Sugar and other sweets $230 · 0.3%

SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-MOD · YOY-DOWN · REAL-BURDEN · REGION-WEST · BOOK-LOWER

  • SHARE-TRACE 0.3% of budget
  • QUINT-MOD 2.3× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-DOWN -3.8% YoY
  • REAL-BURDEN Above CPI
  • REGION-WEST West leads
  • BOOK-LOWER #81/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Fats and oils ($-105)

Instrument codes from this line’s budget share, income-quintile gap, YoY move, real change vs ~21% CPI-U (2020-2024), regional lead, and corpus book size, not a budgeting recommendation.

Spend neighbourhood around Sugar and other sweets

Lowest and highest poles plus nearest dollar peers among sibling lines, not a full-board reprint. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Dollar neighbourhood · Sugar and other sweets

Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

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Spending Trend (2020–2024)

Sugar and other sweets spending per household, 2020–2024

National average annual spending

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

$160$180$200$220$240$260 20202021202220232024 $230
Year Annual Amount
2024 $230
2023 $239
2022 $197
2021 $182
2020 $166

Income stretch on a smaller sugar and other sweets line

A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $347/yr, with the bottom at $148 (2.3× gap).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $148
Second 20% $185
Middle 20% $217
Fourth 20% $252
Highest 20% $347

See full income breakdown →

West leads sugar and other sweets geographically

West leads at $270/yr.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $224
Northeast $239
South $206
West $270

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 45–54

45–54 heads spend the most on this line at $283/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $196
35–44 $268
45–54 $283
55–64 $237
65–74 $218
75 and older $180
Under 25 $151

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 6)
How much does the average household spend on sugar and other sweets?
The average American household spent $230 on sugar and other sweets in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 0.3% of total household spending.
Is sugar and other sweets spending increasing?
Sugar and other sweets spending decreased by 3.8% from 2023 to 2024 ($239 to $230). Over 5 years (2020–2024), it changed by +38.6%.
How does income affect sugar and other sweets spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $148/year on sugar and other sweets, while the highest quintile spends $347/year, a 2.3x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on sugar and other sweets?
The West region spends the most at $270/year, while the South region spends the least at $206/year on sugar and other sweets.
Which age group spends the most on sugar and other sweets?
Households headed by someone in the 45–54 age group spend the most on sugar and other sweets at $283/year.
Does household size affect sugar and other sweets spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $123/year on sugar and other sweets, while 5 or More households spend $373/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Other smaller CES lines near sugar and other sweets

Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($230 here).

Category 2024 avg
Medical supplies $233
Fish and seafood $224
Cereals and cereal products $240
Laundry and cleaning products $209
Other apparel products and services $252
Processed fruits and vegetables $203
Pork $260
Poultry $267

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.3% here).

Category Budget share
Cereals and cereal products 0.3%
Fish and seafood 0.3%
Laundry and cleaning products 0.3%
Medical supplies 0.3%
Other apparel products and services 0.3%
Pork 0.3%
Poultry 0.3%
Processed fruits and vegetables 0.3%

Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source

Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.

Every figure on PlainHousehold is rendered directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.