Halloween Spending Expected To Soften As Consumers Hit Stores Earlier

Nearly half of Americans are shopping early for their Halloween needs, according to a new survey by the National Retail Federation.

Early Halloween shopping is on the rise, according to the National Retail Federation, with its most recent survey finding that nearly half of consumers are on the hunt for their holiday needs before October.

This year’s survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics found that 47% of survey respondents are getting a headstart for the October 31st holiday, up 10% from five years ago. Total Halloween spending is expected to reach $11.6 billion, down from last year’s record-setting $12.2 billion.

“Halloween marks the official transition to the fall season for many Americans, and consumers are eager to get a jump start on purchasing new seasonal décor and other autumnal items,” said Katherine Cullen, vice president of Industry and Consumer Insights with the NRF. “Retailers are prepared to meet this early demand by offering shoppers all the holiday essentials to make this year’s celebrations memorable.”

The top reasons shoppers are getting an early start include looking forward to the fall season (48%), avoiding the stress of last-minute shopping (38%), or because Halloween is one of their favorite holidays (37%).