No Halloween treat in store for UK retailers

Halloween spend will grow by just 0.6% (compared to 2% in 2018) to reach £467.3 million as Brexit looms large, according to GlobalData.

Decorations and clothing/costumes present the greatest opportunity for retailers, with these categories making up over half of Halloween spend. However, while in 2018 shoppers splurged on decorating their homes and investing in costumes, more will now be looking to reuse pieces or trade down to save on costs this year. Costumes will be among the worst affected with this market forecast to grow by just 1.1% on last year versus 3.4% in 2018.

Zoe Mills, Retail Analyst at GlobalData, says: “For value and discount retailers, there will still be opportunities to entice spending in areas where shoppers plan to trade down in – for example, food categories such as sweets for trick or treating.”

Greater environmental concerns will impact the market this year as plastic use has been at the forefront of shoppers’ minds, she adds. Retailers must highlight their thoughtfulness here by highlighting sustainable solutions such as biodegradable glitter and non-plastic accessories such as wooden broomsticks.

Clothing brands targeting the adult costumes market in particular should also be creating ‘How to’ guides to show how shoppers can utilise everyday clothing for costumes to ensure that these purchases are worn more than just once, Mills concludes.