NRF: Total Halloween Spending to Reach $8 Billion
September 25, 2012
According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2012 Halloween spending survey, conducted by BIGinsight, the average person celebrating Halloween is expected to spend $79.82 on decorations, costumes and candy, up from $72.31 last year, with total spending expected to reach $8 billion.
According to the survey, those buying or making costumes will spend an average of $28.65 on costumes this year, up slightly from $26.52 in 2011. Families will spend a total of $1.1 billion on their children’s costumes, up slightly from $1 billion last year, and adults will spend $1.4 billion on vampire, witch and zombie costumes, up from $1.2 billion in 2011. In addition, pet owners plan to spend $370 million on pet costumes, up from $310 million in 2011.
More than half (51.4 percent) of people celebrating will decorate their home or yard, up from 49.5 percent last year. More than one-third (36.2 percent) of respondents plan to throw or attend a party, and 33.2 percent will take children trick-or-treating.
Still, one-fourth of U.S. consumers (25.9 percent) say the state of the economy will impact their Halloween plans. To compensate, 18 percent will make a costume instead of buying one, and more than one-third (36.1 percent) will buy less candy.
