The proportion of Americans who see attending a July 4 (Independence Day) celebration as a “large or moderate” risk to their health has fallen to 41% in 2021 from 78% a year earlier, Axios reports, while those seeing “small or no risk” rose to 59% from 23%. That’s partly thanks to the impact of vaccines and means that there’s likely to be an increase in demand for party goods and in particular fireworks.

Panjiva’s data (including seaborne import data for May) indicates that retailers may be well provisioned for increased demand with U.S. imports of fireworks having increased by 51.0% year over year in the three months to May 31 and by 41.5% compared to the same period of 2019. 

Additionally, imports of U.S. national flags climbed 17.1% year over year in the three months to April 30 (the most recent available date) including a record high level of shipments in the month of April. Somewhat ironically, China accounted for 96.2% of shipments in that period.

Chart segments U.S. imports of fireworks by month. Figures for May 2021 based on seaborne imports only. Source: Panjiva

The timing of peak season supplies of fireworks has been fortuitous given the main port of lading for fireworks exports to the U.S. from China, Shanghai with 84.9% of seaborne import shipments in the 12 months to May 31, has paused shipments of hazardous products such as fireworks as outlined in Panjiva’s June 24 research.

The earlier than normal arrival of shipments in March would also suggest importers had sought to avoid the logistics challenges faced by such a seasonal sector. That’s particularly remarkable given shipments are predominantly imported from China via the previously congested ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. 

Much of the firework distribution industry is in private hands, with the largest importer by sea being Jake’s Fireworks after growth of 61.8% year over year in the three months to May 31. The recovery has been faster at Anderson News’s American Promotional Events with growth of 150.9% reflecting the firm’s higher exposure to organized events rather than home displays. The business mix likely explains the off-season surge in imports linked to the firm in the run up to the U.S. general elections in 2020.

Chart segments U.S. seaborne imports of fireworks by consignee. Source: Panjiva