Valentine’s Day and the Global Supply Chain ^{CEFR B2}

Valentine’s Day triggers a concentrated, global logistics effort each February. A small set of gifts—roses, chocolates and restaurant bookings—requires coordinated timing across farms, cargo planes, production lines and retail networks. If shipments arrive late or flowers bloom early, products can lose value and shops may miss peak demand.

Retail spending for the holiday is large: Americans spent $27.5 billion in 2025, and projections indicate spending will hover around $27.7 billion in 2026. The average US household is expected to spend about $188. More than half of shoppers buy candy, roughly 40% buy flowers, and nearly one-third of spending goes to non-romantic recipients. Restaurants see one of their busiest days, second only to Mother’s Day.

Experts say planning begins many months before February. Robert Handfield of North Carolina State University notes that companies often start six months in advance; Lindt uses a one-year planning process. Because products must be in stores by mid-January, shipments begin in December and chocolate makers stage inventory in distribution centers that month. The Society of American Florists reports more than 250 million roses are produced specifically for the holiday, with a majority of flowers coming from Colombia and Ecuador and notable domestic production in California and the Netherlands.

• Farms must time planting and harvest carefully.
• Producers increase output months ahead.
• Goods are shipped and staged by December.
• Retail systems and restaurants prepare for a demand spike.

Even amid news of tariffs on European countries, Handfield says shoppers are unlikely to face higher prices. Overall, the holiday’s success depends on months of planning, long transport routes and precise timing across the supply chain.