2025 4/20 Sales Soar Despite Easter: Sweed Data Reveals Record-Breaking Weekend
This year, the unofficial high holiday of cannabis collided with one of the most family-oriented days on the calendar—and the result was as complex as a triple-infused edible. With 4/20 landing on Easter Sunday in 2025, industry insiders braced for impact. But according to newly released data from Sweed, a premier cannabis retail technology platform, the numbers tell a nuanced story: while Easter may have cooled things off on Sunday, the 4/20 weekend as a whole blazed past expectations.
Weekend Warriors: A Record-Breaking Run
From Friday to Sunday, dispensaries across 13 states logged impressive growth:
- Unique buyers surged by 65%
- Total purchases jumped 63%
- Products sold rose by 81%
Those are record-setting gains by any metric. But perhaps the most surprising statistic came from the back end: retailers boosted profitability, with gross margins climbing from 38.1% in 2024 to 50.4% this year. That’s not just impressive—it’s a masterclass in strategic pricing, especially considering wholesale costs only ticked up 2.1%, despite the major increase in volume.
As Sweed’s data shows, dispensaries found ways to win big even in the face of a holiday that traditionally draws people away from retail environments. It’s a testament to the industry's evolving sophistication—and the enduring power of the 4/20 moment.
Sunday Slump: Easter’s Quieting Effect on 4/20 Itself
Zoom in on the day of April 20th, however, and the impact of Easter becomes much clearer.
- Average basket size declined 14.4%
- Total transactions remained flat
- Overall gross sales dropped
Despite the fanfare, Sunday wasn’t the industry’s golden ticket this year. Instead, consumer behavior shifted forward, with the majority of shoppers hitting stores on Friday (4/18) and Saturday (4/19). In fact, Saturday alone outpaced Sunday in total revenue, highlighting a significant move toward early purchasing—likely driven by both promotional deals and holiday planning.
Discount-Driven Behavior
Easter Sunday’s 4/20 didn’t just slow down traffic—it also skewed spending patterns. According to Sweed, the day was marked by deep discounts and promotion-heavy transactions, suggesting that while customers still engaged, they were bargain hunting rather than splurging.
Retail Resilience: The Bigger Picture
Even with Sunday’s dip, the overall weekend metrics show just how resilient the cannabis retail sector has become. This was not a typical 4/20, but consumers adapted—and retailers met them where they were. By front-loading deals and optimizing margins, dispensaries turned a potential disruption into a case study in flexibility and momentum.
As the cannabis industry continues to professionalize, calendar collisions like Easter Sunday will become more strategic rather than problematic. The success of 4/20 weekend 2025 proves that with the right planning, cannabis brands and retailers can thrive—no matter what the calendar throws their way.
Stay tuned to Honeysuckle Media for deeper dives into industry analytics, cultural impact, and how legacy meets innovation in real time. 🌿
