Early Halloween sales are up at Meijer
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – With Halloween falling on a Monday this year, consumers will be celebrating throughout the entire weekend, and Meijer says it is already seeing an increase in demand.
The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer says it is seeing as much as a 50% rise in customers taking advantage of early Halloween savings on décor, candy and costumes.
“Our store directors are reporting that their customers are very enthusiastic about what we have to offer for Halloween, which has really become an important seasonal celebration with trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and costume parties all month long,” said Peter Whitsett, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing. “Meijer offers a wide selection of Halloween items, so we look forward to helping them find everything they need for their weekend festivities.”
The average person will spend nearly $90 this Halloween on indoor and outdoor décor, costumes and candy, and 7 in 10 consumers plan to hand out candy, according to Meijer. Total spending on Halloween is expected to reach $8.4 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
Meijer compiled a list of what it considers the top retail trends for this season:
Adults: Due to the growing popularity of social media channels Instagram and Pinterest, DIY costumes continue to rise. Meijer will sell more than 80,000 masks and wigs, including emoji and presidential masks. Total costume accessories – makeup, wigs, masks and toy accessories – are projected up 50% this year versus last year.
Boys: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Marvel superhero muscle costumes continue to be the most popular. An estimated 70% of all boys’ costumes purchased are licensed products.
Girls: Traditional princess costumes will continue to be strong selections. However, Supergirl, Batgirl and Wonder Woman emerge this year as popular girl power heroes in anticipation of upcoming movie releases.
Toddlers/Infants: Parents are enthusiastic about dressing their little trick-or-treaters up as pandas, unicorns and dinosaurs, as well as in Paw Patrol, Nemo and Shopkins character costumes.
Quick-and-Easy-Costumes: Step in or “bagged” costumes will provide customers with “no muss-no fuss” solutions this Halloween. Novelty items like Pizza, Bacon, Ketchup and Mustard are ever-popular for adults. New this year are the photo real supersize masks, such as monkey, unicorn and pug.
Top décor trends:
Classic to Creepy Halloween with pumpkins, garland, skulls, skeletons and tableware.
Bigger is Better with life-size lunging reaper, giant flashing spider and harvest welcome sign. Grave digging and zombies continue to be popular.
Animated/Lighted décor is more popular than ever with projectors, outdoor string lighting and indoor battery-operated lighting. This category is projected to increase by more than 30 percent this year.
Top 5 Halloween candy items:
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Fun Size
Kit Kats Fun Size
Snickers Fun Size
Brach’s Candy Corn
Kraft Carmels