The companies profiting from Mother’s Day

By Staci West on 12 March 2026 in Ideas & insights

Generous Britons splash out more than a billion pounds every Mother’s Day – but where is the money spent and which companies benefit? The traditional celebration of maternal figures, which this year falls on Sunday, 15th March, has been a fixture on the calendar for more than 100 years.

Here we look at the most popular gifts and experiences received, the businesses behind them, and which investment funds have the most to gain.

Say it with flowers

Flowers remain the favoured present – particularly among those aged between 35 and 44, according to a YouGov survey. Although there are no powerhouse florists listed on the London Stock Exchange, some retail outlets stand to profit from such purchases.

An obvious beneficiary is Tesco. The supermarket giant has a 29% share of the Great Britain grocery market, according to Kantar. Its nearest competitor is Sainsbury’s on 16%*. Tesco is one of the largest holdings in the Artemis Income fund**. This is a flexible, high-conviction portfolio of UK companies that targets a rising income and capital gain. The fund also holds BP**. Operating more than 1,200 branded service stations across the UK, they’re relied upon by forgetful motorists hunting last-minute gifts on the way to visit mum.

Cards

The next essential on the list is a card. While supermarket chains remain a convenient source, there are also specialist outlets such as Card Factory. The retailer is a holding in the JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth and Income fund***, which invests in high-quality, fast-growing, and innovative companies further down the market-cap scale.

If you prefer to shop online, Moonpig could be your answer. It’s a personalised greeting card and gifting platform enabling you to send items, including flowers, directly to recipients. It’s a holding in the Rathbone UK Opportunities fund***. Lead manager Alexandra Jackson targets growth businesses and looks to take advantage of cheap UK valuations.

Gift cards remain a go-to option, and digital and physical options are available from J Sainsbury, which also owns Argos, Habitat and Tu. The company, which is well known for the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, is currently the second-largest holding in the Schroder Income fund**. This is a UK equity income fund that invests in companies that are undervalued and waiting for a correction.

Searches

The first beneficiary of people scouring the internet for gift ideas is likely to be Alphabet, better known for its search engine, Google. It’s currently the second-largest holding in the JPM US Equity Income fund****, which targets an above-average income by investing in a diverse range of established stocks.

Online retailer Amazon, currently the world’s fifth-largest company by market capitalisation, will be the destination of choice for many people, with some 600 million products available. It’s held by the Brown Advisory US Flexible Equity fund**. This is an unconstrained portfolio, meaning its manager, Maneesh Bajaj, is free to select US companies of any size.

Then there are the payment companies that keep online businesses in operation. Visa, for example, is one of the world leaders in this sector and facilitates digital payments in more than 200 countries. It’s among the 10 largest holdings of the Liontrust Sustainable Future Global Growth fund**, which uses a thematic approach to identify the structural growth trends that will shape the global economy. Meanwhile, fellow payment provider Mastercard is a holding in the CCLA Better World Global Equity fund**. This portfolio aims to provide total return over the long term.

Gifts

Beauty products are another popular choice with businesses such as L’Oréal providing an array of hair care, skin care, makeup and perfume. The French company is one of the largest holdings in the Morgan Stanley Global Brands fund**, which looks for high-quality companies with defensible and visible future earnings.

There’s also Burberry Group, the iconic London-based luxury fashion house that’s been around for 170 years. It’s a holding in the VT Tyndall Unconstrained UK Income fund**. This fund, which takes a high-conviction approach to active management, aims to generate capital growth alongside rising income.

Elsewhere, the City of London Investment Trust, which has been running since 1891, invests in companies providing food and drink-related presents. Holdings include Nestlé***, whose confectionery brands include Black Magic and Quality Street. It also has a position in drinks company Diageo***, which is best known for its spirits and iconic stout Guinness.

Electronic gifts are also a consideration. A great example is an iPad from Apple that lets you FaceTime your mum if you don’t live close by. The US tech giant is found in many funds investing in large-cap names, but one we like is Comgest Growth America**. This is a concentrated portfolio of 25-35 companies with long-term growth prospects.

Experiences

Going out for a meal is another popular way to celebrate the day, although OpenTable research revealed more than half of mums book it themselves!

Pubs and restaurants operated by the hospitality group Whitbread are often favoured locations, with brands including Beefeater and Brewers Fayre. Whitbread is held by the CT UK Equity Income fund**. Its lead manager, Jeremy Smith, looks for unloved companies on the London Stock Exchange that can grow their dividends.

How about an overnight stay somewhere? InterContinental Hotels Group, behind brands such as Crowne Plaza, has hundreds of hotels across the UK. The company is a holding in the Brunner Investment Trust**. This is an all-weather portfolio which aims to deliver long-term capital growth and dividends.

Of course, those with more to spend could consider one of IHT’s overseas hotels and fly there with International Consolidated Airlines, which operates British Airways and Iberia, among others. The airline group is one of the largest holdings in the Artemis UK Select fund**, a high-conviction, multi-cap UK equity fund managed by the experienced Ed Leggett.

*Source: Kantar, February 2026

**Source: fund factsheet, 31 January 2026

***Source: full holdings, 31 January 2026

****Source: fund factsheet, 28 February 2026