Consumer spending on Halloween-related items is expected to reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion, up from $8.05 billion in 2020. Plans to celebrate Halloween are up this year compared with last and are close to pre-pandemic levels.
According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, an estimated 65 percent of Americans intend to celebrate Halloween or participate in Halloween activities this year, up from 58 percent in 2020 and comparable with 68 percent in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Households with children are much more likely to celebrate Halloween (82 percent) than those without (55 percent).
The top ways consumers are planning to celebrate include handing out candy (66 percent), decorating their home or yard (52 percent), dressing in costumes (46 percent), carving a pumpkin (44 percent) and hosting or attending a party (25 percent).
With more Americans celebrating Halloween this year, average spending is also up. On average consumers plan to spend $102.74 on costumes, candy, decorations and greeting cards — $10 more than they planned to spend last year.
Households with children are estimated to spend more than twice the amount than households without children ($149.69 compared with $73.57) on Halloween items. The number of Americans planning to decorate for Halloween is on par with last year’s spike in interest, with spending on decorations continuing to climb to $3.17 billion, up from last year’s $2.59 billion. Total spending on costumes is the highest it has been since 2017 at $3.32 billion.
This year consumers shopped for Halloween items earlier than ever, with 45 percent planning to shop in September or earlier and another 39 percent during the first two weeks of October.
Interest in pet costumes remained high with one in five intending to dress their pet up for Halloween this year. Younger adults were more likely to dress their pets in costume, as 28 percent of those aged 18–24 and 30 percent of those aged 25–34 planned to do so.
Costumes Ranked: Children
More than 1.8 million children plan to dress as Spiderman, more than 1.6 million as their favorite princess, more than 1.2 million as Batman and more than 1.2 million will dress as one of their other favorite superheroes.
Costumes Ranked: Adults
Of those planning to dress up for Halloween, nearly 69 percent of adults already know what their costume will be this year. More than 4.6 million adults plan to dress like a witch, more than 1.6 million as a vampire, more than 1.4 million as a ghost, more than 1.1 million as a cat and another 1.1 million as a pirate.
Costumes Ranked: Pets
The most popular costumes for pet lovers include a pumpkin (10 percent), hot dog (5 percent), superhero or cat (each tied at 4 percent) and bumblebee (3 percent).