Consumer spending on Halloween candy in the United States 2017-2024

During the 2024 Halloween season, consumers in the United States (U.S.) are expected to spend about 3.5 billion U.S. dollars on candy. This is a slight decrease compared to 2023 and the first decrease in expected spending since 2020.

Halloween traditions

Approximately 72 percent of Americans planned on celebrating Halloween in 2024. This constitutes the second-highest participation rate within the last eight years. In 2020, the share of Americans who participated in Halloween activities fell significantly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tradition of Halloween, which is celebrated on October 31st in the U.S., includes a variety of activities, such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, or carving pumpkins. On average, the expenditure on Halloween-related items among U.S. consumers amounts to about 104 U.S. dollars annually. The average Halloween expenditure has more than doubled since 2005. Many consumers planned to do their Halloween shopping in advance. About a third of U.S. consumers intended to buy Halloween candy between four and seven days before the event. Furthermore, a quarter of consumers even intended to purchase candy eight to fourteen days in advance.

Halloween-costumes

Due to the increases in inflation in 2022, consumers have generally tried to cut back. As a result, slightly less than one-third of American consumers planned to decrease their spending Halloween costumes to deal with the inflation. Nonetheless, in 2023, a total of 3.8 billion U.S. dollars was spent on spooky outfits and costumes by U.S. consumers for the Halloween season. Costume purchases make up the largest spending category during the Halloween season, as compared to decorations, candy, and greeting cards. The leading destination for Halloween costume shopping in the U.S. is Amazon. About 61 percent of U.S. consumers purchased their costumes through the online retailer.