Highlights
- Sweet sales jump 5.7 per cent as shops cut prices by 4.4 per cent to win customers
- Pumpkin sales hit 30 m across the UK, up from 26 m last year
- Homemade costumes win with 42 per cent making their own outfits while online shopping soars.
1) Chocolate gets scary good this year
People are buying 5.7 per cent more sweets as prices drop 4.4 per centiStock
Hames Chocolates is winning big with products that look great and sell fast. Their 150g bags come packed with chocolate pumpkins, ghosts, bats and skulls. Each bag has an orange bow and spooky tag that grabs attention. Hot chocolate stirrers are the real game changer.
InsightTrendsWorld shows that sweet sales are up 1 per cent overall. People are buying 5.7 per cent more sweets even as prices drop 4.4 per cent. This shows shops are cutting prices hard to get people buying. The lower prices help shoppers try expensive treats they might skip otherwise.
Halloween spending across the UK will reach £537 million this year. “Retailers must offer innovative and enduring products to shift consumer perceptions of Halloween purchases, Fortnum & Mason stands out this year with its limited-edition Halloween hamper, containing Lucifer’s Marmalade and an Uncommon Chocolate Toad", says Simpson-Gould to Confectionary Production.
2) This black cake is breaking the internet
Asda's Black Heart Cake returns as a spooky Halloween favourite.asda
Asda launched a Black Heart Cake that people cannot stop talking about online. The £14.98 cake serves 16 people at just 94p per slice. It has rich chocolate sponge covered in dark chocolate frosting.
Social media users call it perfect for birthdays, Halloween and even anniversaries. The dark design works great as a blank canvas. People love adding their own decorations and writing on it. Many say it is the best cake for RIP 20s parties when someone turns 30.
Asda is selling this cake all year, not just for Halloween. This means the shop can make money from gothic style beyond October. Younger buyers who like dark themes can buy it anytime.
That is up 3.2 per cent from last year, though much of the rise comes from higher prices rather than more buying.
3) Pumpkin mania hits record levels
Pumpkins dominate UK Halloween celebrations.iStock
British Growers Association notes that over 30 m pumpkins will sell this Halloween. That is up from 26 m in 2023. Shops report more people want small decorative pumpkins, not just big ones for carving.
Asda will sell 400,000 mini munchkin pumpkins this year. That doubles the 200,000 they sold before. People buy these for display, not for eating. Pumpkin picking has become a social event thanks to Instagram and TikTok content about spooky season.
More people now worry about pumpkin waste and the environment. Shops respond by sharing recipes for pumpkin flesh and tips on composting. This helps ease concerns while keeping pumpkins popular.
Pumpkin picking and social media drive people to spend more money beyond just buying sweets.
4) DIY costumes win as shoppers get creative
Pet costumes sales rose nearly 50 per cent.iStock
YouGov data shows 42 per cent of people make their own Halloween costumes. Another 47per cent buy online. Charity shops get 31 per cent of sales, with 37 per cent of young people aged 18-24 choosing thrift shopping.
Online shopping is especially popular with younger buyers, with 54 per cent of 18-34 year olds choosing this route. Just 21 per cent of over-55s buy costumes in-store, while 28 per cent prefer to reuse old outfits. The shift to digital and DIY shows how shoppers balance creativity with cost concerns.
Vikash Kaansili, senior retail analyst at Kantar told BBC "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".
About 11 m British people plan to dress up this year. Even pets join the fun, data from Clearpay shows that dog costumes show huge jumps with pumpkin outfits up by nearly 50 per cent than last year.
Most people spend under £25 total, with only 8 per cent spending over £100. More than half wait until one week before Halloween to start shopping. This means shops need to time their promotions for late October.
5) Small decorations drive last-minute buying
Small decorations and treats drive last - minute Halloween buys.iStock
Shops focus on small decorative items that people grab at the last minute. Graphic lollipops feature ghosts, skeletons, witches and spider webs. Each comes wrapped with festive tags and orange bows that catch the eye.
New skull face and tombstone lollipops use milk chocolate with white and dark details. Each one comes wrapped individually to stay fresh and look good on shelves. These products work great at tills where people make quick decisions.
The move towards display items shows what buyers want now. Retailers stock everything from fancy to cheap options.
Eight in 10 adults say Halloween feels more commercial now than 10 years ago. Yet 21per cent want more local activities. This gives shops a chance to mix product sales with fun experiences.
