By the sounds of things, Halloween 2022 could be rather subdued.
October 31 could have a different look and feel this Fall because many consumers are cutting back on spending. Retail data company 84.51° recently captured consumer insights that show many consumers are looking to cut back on Halloween festivities this year – with 31% of consumers saying they don’t plan to celebrate on October 31 at all.
According to 84.51°, 33% of respondents said they plan to cut back on candy this year, while 23% indicated they plan to cut back on food for gatherings. Meanwhile, 18% said they plan to cut back on beverages for parties.
“Inflation is influencing the way shoppers spend as we gear up for the upcoming holiday season, and Halloween is no exception,” Barbara Connors, the VP of commercial insights at 84.51°, told The Food Institute. “Many are also evaluating ways to prioritize and stretch their holiday food budget.”
By the sound of it, many American cities could have fairly sparse gatherings of trick-or-treaters this month. Research by Connors and her team at 84.51° found that just 22% of respondents planned to go trick or treating in their neighborhood this year.
Here’s how other respondents said they plan to spend their night this Halloween:
- 33% said they plan to stay at home and hand out candy
- 16% plan to go to a trick-or-treating event (at schools, for example)
- 16% plan to attend a Halloween party
Cincinnati-based 84.51° also unearthed some positive data for candy manufacturers: packaged candy sales have grown, year-over-year, over the past four years, and the spend per household on candy is up more than 30% this year compared to 2019.
In general, though, the latest research indicates Halloween 2022 will be slightly less festive than usual. Connors’ research noted, for example, that many shoppers are likely to spend less on pizza for their parties this October 31, as 41% of shoppers indicate they’ve stopped ordering delivery pizza in favor of cheaper options like frozen pies.
“We’re going to see this trend of shifting spend on holiday food carry through the rest of the holiday season,” Connors predicted, “as consumers balance priorities when it comes to entertaining, gathering, and overall spend.”
Video Produced By: Brittany Borer
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