Halloween continues to grow in popularity in Australia with one in four people saying they will celebrate in a variety of ways including decorating their homes or attending a party.
This is good news for retailers, with spending forecast to reach $430 million according to research from Australian Retailers Association (ARA) in collaboration with Roy Morgan.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra says retailers are promoting Halloween in a big way.
“Halloween is growing in status as an Aussie tradition and has become a highly anticipated seasonal event for many retailers,” he says.
“Businesses are coming to the party with themed windows and store displays as part of big promotional push in the lead up to 31 October.”
While mainly seen as a kids event, those aged 35 to 49 are the most likely to celebrate Halloween (37 per cent), which equates to 1.92 million people, just ahead of those aged 18-34 (32 per cent), equating to 1.9 million people.
“Consumers are forecast to spend $430 million on their Halloween celebrations, stocking up on food and sweets and purchasing costumes and decorations. Some families go above and beyond with lighting and decorative efforts around their homes, while hospitality venues also get involved with Halloween themed food and cocktails,” adds Zahra.
“Halloween is a great time to celebrate some spooky silliness and with five million Australians expected to do so this year, the event will help build sales momentum for retailers in the run up to Christmas.”
