As Halloween is at the end of this week, retailers are in the final countdown and are pushing their spooky merchandise. With new trends emerging, from pop-up shops to adult-targeted products, Jeff Doucette, manager at Field Agent Canada, discusses what Halloween looked like this year along with Field Agent’s recent Halloween survey results. 

Competition between seasons 

Halloween has crept into the stores earlier this year as retailers are eager to bring in seasonal sales. However, as Halloween decorations and costumes went into stores – so did Christmas, creating a competition between two seasonal celebrations. 

Doucette says seasonal Christmas displays, such as candy and gifts, are often appearing right next to Halloween items in major retail chains. This early arrival has left some shoppers feeling Halloween is being overshadowed by the rush towards the holidays. 

“While at Walmart, I noticed they have a full-sized Halloween section still – but then you also have Christmas. If you walk through health and beauty, there are a lot of gift sets, so I think it is really interesting. It seems like Amazon Prime has rushed the holiday sales and the pressure for Christmas is definitely on. I think people are kind of seeing the Prime Days as sort of the kickoff to Christmas in a way, and maybe Halloween is getting a little lost in all of that,” says Jeff Doucette. 

Although this pattern is not new, it is even more present in stores as retailers fill their shelves with both Halloween and Christmas decorations – but does this work? Despite the early displays, how effective is this method: “The displays are up early … whether that is actually driving sales up or not – I don’t know.” 

Pop-up shops and local retailers 

This year, one Halloween trend Doucette noticed more pop-up shops opening up in major cities across Canada, taking over vacant storefronts and providing shoppers with options outside of the bigger brands. 

While large chains, such as Spirit Halloween, are still popular – many shoppers are finding an increased interest towards smaller and independent stores for Halloween. Doucette says when he visited Montreal, Doucette noticed more pop-up shops transforming into Halloween themed shops. 

“There seems to be a lot more local retailers here selling Halloween products. They have taken over empty storefronts, and it is pretty prevalent. I kind of think that has to do with a little bit of the retail real estate situation and that there is retail space available out there.” 

This trend allows smaller businesses to make use of any vacant space temporarily, allows them to be in the Halloween space, and provides consumers with more Halloween options. 

Increasing interest towards second-hand Halloween products 

As sustainability and second-hand shopping are increasing in popularity, it is also becoming a Halloween trend. Although consumers are buying candy, decorating houses, and buying costumes – 80 per cent of consumers are saying they will be spending the same or less compared to last year. 

In the children’s section, Doucette notes 21 per cent of parents will buy their children’s costumes from thrift stores and 39 per cent will buy new costumes. Thrift stores, Kijiji, and the Marketplace are among the popular places for second-hand options. 

Along with second-hand products, Doucette says 18 percent of shoppers will reuse their children’s Halloween costume this year and 47 per cent of adults will also reuse a costume they already have.  

“I think the thrift stores have always been great places for Halloween costumes, and it is interesting to see that more people are going that route now – especially with families looking to save a little. And when you are talking about costumes that might only be worn once or twice, reusing or thrifting just makes sense.” 

Beyond candy and costumes: Expanding Halloween products 

Docette says Halloween has been evolving from its traditional focus on candy and costumes to retailers offering a broader range of products. This year, Doucette says consumers found Halloween-themed items from cereals, snacks, and beauty products. 

One example is Hershey’s Kisses partnering with Harry Potter. 

“One of the things I noticed was Heyshey’s Kisses getting into the Halloween game, but through a collaboration with Harry Potter. So they have Harry Potter Hershey’s Kisses right now and it is an interesting way for Kisses to get into the Halloween season.” 

Other collaborations Doucette has noticed include Wednesday cereal from Kellogg’s, pumpkin spice Cheerios, and Bear Paws that were rebranded as Scare Paws. 

“I am seeing more unique products for Halloween. I think there are more companies that are seeing the value of playing in the Halloween space through collaborations. These partnerships are also a fun way for brands to stay relevant and capture that seasonal interest.” 

Halloween decorations – Inflatables and high-end decorations are increasing 

Halloween decorations are reaching new heights this year as Doucette says larger displays are becoming popular for both retailers and homeowners, especially inflatables. 

“Inflatables seem to be a huge category for Halloween. We were walking around the neighbourhood and homes have like multiple of these inflatable ghouls and goblins – like this big cat or ghost. It is everywhere. There is the traditional carving of a pumpkin, but then there’s this next level of decorating with inflatables that we also see at Christmas time. It is quite interesting to see that it has evolved to that as well.” 

These inflatable products, which come with a larger price tag, are long-term investments for consumers: “These big, giant skeletons and stuff are like $200, and so if you are bored with it – you are not just going to throw it away.” Instead, Doucette says once consumers are done using them, they will most likely resell them. 

As this trend is increasing, Doucette says more retailers are responding by providing shoppers with more product variety such as the inflatables, lighting options, and more props – turning more neighborhoods into a spooky Halloween show. 

“People are having fun with it! It is still a big retail event, and it is hard to miss in stores now – it is pretty front and centre. You walk in, and there is no question Halloween is here. It is not like you are in a store and they are not recognizing Halloween. From inflatables to unique themed products and even the traditional candy and costumes, it is clear that retailers know Halloween is something people look forward to, and they are leaning into that excitement.” 

Other key findings for Halloween 

• 86 per cent of Canadian households will be participating in Halloween 
• 81 per cent of Canadians will buy Halloween treats, but only 69 per cent will be handing them out on Halloween night. 
• On average, Canadians can expect around 60 Trick or Treaters on the 31st 
• Nine per cent of households will be giving out healthy options instead of candy 
• 91 per cent of shoppers will be buying more Halloween products between October 16th to October 31st
• 85 per cent of Canadians will buy a pumpkin this year 
• 26 per cent of shoppers will be spending more on Halloween treats compared to last year 

For more Halloween results, read the full survey! 

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