Market researcher Numerator says fewer consumers in the United States plan to celebrate Halloween this year, at 61% versus 65% in 2022, yet 12% of shoppers remain undecided, which could bring participation above 2022 levels.
Home decor is a priority for the holiday, as 58% of consumers said their Halloween plans include decorating the house, followed by handing out candy at 56%, trick-or-treating at 37%, cooking/baking at 27%, attending or hosting a gathering at 25%, and attending a public event at 23%.
Four in five celebrators said they intend to purchase candy this Halloween. Candy may be a priority, but 45% of celebrators say they will buy decorations and the same proportion will purchase costumes. Then, 36% of Halloween celebrities will buy food and 17% alcoholic beverages.
Overall, Numerator anticipates Halloween spending to be on par with last year. In its research, 30% of consumers expect to spend between $26 and $50 on their Halloween items, with less than 18% planning to spend more than $100.
As to their purchasing priorities, consumers said what’s weighing most heavily on their purchasing decisions is price, for 65%, and special promotions, for 44%. In an interesting twist, shoppers are likelier to buy value or store brands for trick-or-treaters but name brands for themselves.
Most consumers will opt to shop in-store for their Halloween items, with 56% expecting to purchase Halloween supplies from mass retailers, including Walmart and Target, while 44% plan to purchase from grocery stores and 33% from club stores. Regarding digital participation, 18% plan to shop at online retailers like Amazon. When it comes to Halloween, the rise of e-commerce isn’t chilling brick-and-mortar sales. Numerator research suggested that few consumers, about 6%, who shopped at Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event purchased Halloween merchandise.
