Return to para-normal: Participation in Halloween activities will be back up to pre-pandemic levels this year, with 69% of consumers planning to celebrate (up from 65% last year and 68% in 2019), according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

• Handing out candy is the top way consumers plan to celebrate, followed by decorating their home or yard, getting into costume, carving a pumpkin, and throwing/attending a Halloween party.

Spooky spending: According to the NRF, total spending will reach a record $10.6 billion.

• Consumers will spend an average of $100 on candy, decorations, cards, and costumes.
• Costumes account for the majority of spend: Kids and adult costumes are expected to hit $2.9 billion in sales, while consumers will spend $710 million on pet costumes.

Looking into the crystal ball: Online search is the most popular way consumers get costume ideas, followed by browsing retail stores and ideas from friends and family.

• But social media’s role is growing, according to Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy at Proper Insights. “Younger consumers, particularly those under the age of 25, will look to platforms like Instagram and TikTok for costume inspiration this year.”

Horror story: Companies are preparing for a busy season but may face labor and supply chain challenges.

• In hopes of avoiding any staffing issues, Party City is hiring 20,000 workers ahead of Halloween, exceeding the 17,000 it hired last year, according to CNN.
• In July, Michele Buck, CEO of The Hershey Co., warned that the company will not be able to meet consumer demand for Halloween and the holiday season due to capacity constraints.

Lights, camera, action: Spirit Halloween, which hosts about 1,450 pop-up Halloween stores across the country, is expanding beyond retail to the big screen.

• “Spirit Halloween: The Movie” will hit theaters September 30 and be released on-demand October 11.
• The movie stars Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook, and was directed by David Poag and written by Billie Bates. The plot follows three middle school students who are trapped in a haunted Spirit Halloween store on Halloween night.

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