Love it or hate it, Halloween is gaining traction here, with Australians predicted to spend $490 million this year on decorations, dress-ups or treats.
Research released by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has revealed that more than 5.3 million Australians will celebrate Halloween in 2023, with spending forecast to be up by 14% or $60 million on 2022.
The research found that average spending this year is projected to be $93 per person celebrating Halloween, up $7 (+8.1%) on a year ago.
Most plan to celebrate by purchasing a Halloween costume (mentioned by 49% of respondents), trick or treating (45%), stocking up on lollies and chocolate (39%) and decorating the home (36%).
For those assuming the tradition is mostly for young kids, the research revealed that close to 2.1 million Australians aged 18-34 and around 1 million aged 35-49 will be celebrating Halloween.
What’s more, there are quite possibly around 620,000 people aged 50-64 and 430,000 over-65s who plan to join in the festivities.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra said the increased spend this year points to the growing popularity of Halloween in Australia, particularly for adults.
“Halloween is a fantastic opportunity for families to have fun and get creative – to go costume shopping, give the home an eery makeover or host a party”, Zahra said.
“It’s a welcome break from routine and a chance to get together with friends and loved ones to do something fun.”
As the tradition continues to gain traction in Australia, the United States are anticipating a record $12.2 billion spend, according to the National Retail Federation.
“Halloween is obviously a big deal in the United States – historically tied to the arrival of Irish immigrants bringing the tradition with them in the 1800s”, Zahra said.
“It is increasingly cementing its place in Australian culture due to its pop culture prominence”, he concluded.
