Halloween proved a treat for retailers as 51.5% of UK consumers spent on the occasion

The US-originated Halloween occasion is becoming more popular in the UK with over half of consumers spending on Halloween in 2018, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Appetite for US imported retail occasions is stronger than ever, with GlobalData also forecasting a 3.1% increase in Black Friday spend this week.

The company’s latest report: ‘Halloween in the UK 2018’ reveals that food remains the most shopped category – 75.4% of Halloween shoppers bought Halloween food products as food-related activities such as carving pumpkins and trick or treating remained popular. Grocers widely promoted their Halloween food products alongside recipes on social media and discounted certain seasonal products, bolstering impulse purchases.

Emily Salter, Retail Analyst for GlobalData commented: “More consumers bought clothing & costumes, driven by 16-34 year olds participating in Halloween events where dressing up is encouraged. Additionally, clothing retailers including ASOS and Topshop launched Halloween discounts across their websites on the day of the event, using the occasion as an excuse to drive sales across the board.”

14.1% of UK consumers decorated the inside of their homes as more families got involved in the occasion. With consumers always looking for ways to save time in their busy lifestyles, having a store in a convenient location was the fourth highest driver of retailer selection for Halloween decorations, as grocers stocked Halloween ranges in their smaller urban locations. Mobiles became the top device used for browsing decorations, driven by inspirational social media content and convenience.

Salter concludes: “In order for retailers to attract Halloween shoppers in 2019, value for money must be emphasised as discounters and grocers continued to dominate the retailers used across product categories. Value for money remained the top driver of retailer choice for Halloween clothing & costume products, and quality increased in importance, driven by the health & safety concerns surrounding children’s costumes and consumer desire to wear items multiple times.”

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