2024 Halloween retail spending predictions.

As Halloween approaches, retailers are gearing up for one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year. Shoppers are expected to embrace both in-store and online purchases, driven by a mix of seasonal excitement and renewed social festivities. 

Understanding the key trends and spending patterns for Halloween will be critical to maximizing profits during this spooky season.

Halloween spending.

Halloween has always been big news in the United States, but this year, Halloween spending is expected to reach an all-time high of $12.2 billion, a significant increase from last year’s $10.6 billion. 

Experts predict that shoppers looking for costumes, decorations, and candy treats are willing to stretch their pockets a little more this year than last. On average, consumers are projected to spend around $108.24, up from the $102.74 reported in 2021.

Participation in Halloween celebrations is also expected to soar. Around 73% of people will take part in activities like parties, trick-or-treating, and decorating. After a few pandemic-fueled quieter years, it’s clear that Halloween has regained its place as one of the biggest calendar events — which is good news for retailers!

Business owners can capitalize on Halloween spending by using a modern POS system to efficiently manage sales, track inventory, and offer personalized promotions based on customer purchase history. 

With real-time data and integrated marketing tools, POS systems can help retailers quickly adapt to high-demand items, process payments smoothly, and maximize seasonal profits.

Costume spending.

Costumes continue to be a big draw for festive shoppers, with spending in this category expected to hit $4.1 billion, up $500 million from last year. Costumed consumers are planning to go all out — with adults, children, and even cats and dogs dressing up (pet costumes continue to grow in popularity).

Adults will be spending more on costumes, with $2 billion predicted which is an 18% increase from 2023. Witches remain the most popular Halloween costume, with around 5.8 million adults expected to dress up as a classic spell-caster. 

Pop culture and movies also have a big impact every year on costumes, especially among Gen Z. This year, 1.8 million adults are likely to choose Barbie costumes, inspired by the popular movie starring Margot Robbie. And don’t forget other huge, enduring pop-culture icons, such as Beetlejuice, who have returned to public popularity.

Children’s costumes are also seeing a bump, with spending expected to rise to $1.4 billion, a 20% jump from last year. And for the “fur babies”, owners are planning to spend around $700 million on outfits for their pets. 

The most popular choices? Pumpkins and hot dogs.

Candy and decoration spending.

Disposable goods like decorations and candy treats are another essential element of Halloween, with many households looking to create that perfect spooky atmosphere and give trick-or-treaters the ultimate Halloween experience. 

Researchers have indicated that Halloween decoration spending will hit $3.8 billion in 2024. You can never have too many spider webs and skeletons in your yard. 77% of people celebrating the holiday say they’ll be buying new items to decorate their homes and venues.

Candy is a central part of Halloween and will continue to thrill kids and adults (and perhaps their dentists) this year. Households are expected to spend $3.5 billion on treats for trick-or-treaters — a whopping $400 million increase from last year. 

This is true despite candy falling under the food inflation aggravations of the last year. 28% of families are planning to take their children trick-or-treating and will capitalize on this increase in sugary spending.

As candy ascends, however, greeting cards are expected to drop slightly, down to $500 million. While cards are still a vital part of the season, shoppers are more focused on costumes, decorations, and candy this year.

Shopping behavior.

A large number of consumers are expected to start their Halloween shopping well in advance, with around 45% making purchases in September. Some speculate that this is to get better deals or to make sure there’s enough time for purchases to be delivered from online shopping.

Consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping, and this includes shopping for Halloween. 32% of consumers are opting to buy their Halloween items online.

40% of consumers are expected to shop at discount stores for Halloween, seeking affordable options for costumes, decorations, and candy. With rising costs, many shoppers are prioritizing budget-friendly retailers to celebrate the holiday without overspending.

Halloween behaviors and event sharing are increasingly digitized.

Halloween is more than just a night for costumes and candy. It’s about the experience these products provide and how they contribute to the continuing culture of the season. 

In 2024, more families and friends are expected to throw Halloween parties, with 32% of people planning to host a gathering.

Social media is likely to play an increasing role in shaping Halloween trends, especially for younger audiences. Influencers on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are inspiring costume choices, particularly for those under 25. 

They also have a large impact on fashion tutorials and makeup trends.

These Halloween predictions and spending retail options should showcase the ever-increasing popularity of Halloween, with trends only expected to continue in this direction.

Have a happy — and profitable — Halloween! 

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