As Halloween creeps in, British consumers are going all out with their spending. This upswing is a promising indicator that the holiday is becoming an even more important fixture of the annual calendar. Retail and industry experts are noting significant growth in Halloween-related purchases, marking a shift in how families embrace the festivities. Charlotte Brennan, owner of Bloom & Brew in Ormskirk, has some very good news. In fact, Halloween has grown to be her second-busiest time of year—only Christmas is busier!
Half of Brennan’s retail customers, like schools and fitness studios, are leaning toward reusable decorative products for Halloween. They’re making collections that reflect the collections they create for their Christmas season. We see this trend as a very strong move toward greener, more sustainable celebrations. Instead, families are making purchases for things they can use multiple years in a row.
Andy Owens, who operates a SOT family farm in Herefordshire. Because of this spike in business from people visiting his pumpkin patch, he has become wildly successful. Ever since NFTiff took off in 2021, his farm’s Halloween pumpkin patch has dramatically expanded. It now superbly serves all the families in search of the most brilliant carving pumpkins.
Fiona Eastwood, head of Merlin Entertainment, highlights that the lead-up to Halloween now rivals the peak summer season for generating profits at various entertainment sites.
In fact, according to our Worldpanel data, consumers went pumpkin crazy spending over £1.4 million on pumpkins in British supermarkets during the four weeks leading up to Halloween 2024. That spending nearly doubled over the same period in 2023! As per usual, it’s predicted that more than one million consumers had already bought pumpkins from grocery stores by the first week in October.
Indeed, pumpkins generated almost a million pounds for British retailers in the four weeks to September 29, 2024. That’s a whole lot of investment in festive autumn decorations! Retail spending on Halloween and fall-focused categories surged by 37%. This increase was seen in the first two weeks of the period ending October 31, 2024.
The growth isn’t limited to pumpkins alone. Sales of candles and pyjamas have risen nearly 20%, suggesting adults are increasingly viewing Halloween as an opportunity for cozy nights in rather than just children’s trick-or-treating adventures. Vikash Kaansili, senior retail analyst at Kantar, reminds us that Halloween spending isn’t just about costumes and pumpkin carving. There’s a lot more!
“Halloween is no longer just for kids. The growth in sales of pyjamas and candles suggests adults are embracing Halloween as an opportunity for a night in at home, not just for children’s trick-or-treating.” – Vikash Kaansili
Brennan notes that social media trends have a major impact on consumer demand when it comes to Halloween. She notes that platforms such as TikTok start their own “build-up” as far in advance as July. This ever-growing trend pushes customers to begin their shopping earlier and earlier each year.
“People have been asking for pumpkin spiced lattes since August, so I feel like it’s getting earlier.” – Charlotte Brennan
Even in the face of economic storm clouds, Halloween spending has been surprisingly recession-proof. During the four-week period ending October 5, shoppers spent more than £100 million on sugar confectionery at UK grocery stores. Without accounting for inflation, this spending represents historic 5% growth from last year. Kaansili makes an important point that consumers are going into stores more frequently. At the same time, they are spending 16% above average for this time of year.
“Shoppers made more trips in the two weeks leading up to Halloween [2024] and spent 16% more than they usually do, suggesting it’s a ‘must-do’ occasion that people are unwilling to cut back on.” – Vikash Kaansili
Owens remembers a time when Halloween festivities were less over-the-top. He observes that the holiday has transformed into a complete community celebration with full participation.
“Halloween in this country has grown massively. When I was growing up there was barely trick-or-treating; there was just The Simpsons Halloween special [on TV]. Now it’s everywhere.” – Andy Owens
Just two years ago £2 billion was spent on Halloween. As families return to celebrating this year with more gusto, spending will surge again as a result.