Halloween To Inject $450 Million Into Oz Economy
Australian shops selling Halloween-themed products are enjoying an upswing in sales, according to the Australian Retailers Association (ARA).
“Many popular retailers are seeing increased sales of up to 20 per cent on Halloween merchandise, with department stores selling hundreds of thousands of costumes and tens of thousands of decorations so far,” the ARA said on Thursday morning.
The ARA says Halloween – next Thursday October 31 – will inject $450 million into the Australian economy in 2024 as people load up on lollies or chocolates for trick or treaters, costumes, and Halloween-themed home décor.
Popular Halloween-themed products include face paint, plastic pumpkin lolly baskets, horror DVDs, glowing lights, witches’ cauldrons, fake webs and spiders, skeletons, bats, plush toys and pet accessories.
If you’re in the mood to made a big batch of pumpkin soup, you may have to hold off a few days, as supermarkets are reporting a 25 per cent increase in sales of whole “Halloween” pumpkins, which are turned into Jack O’Lanterns.
The ARA says popular costumes for younger people include Spider-Man, ghosts and princesses, while the top costume categories for adults are witches, vampires and cats.
“We know many parents enjoy trick or treating with their children, while adults get into the spirit by dressing up and hosting themed parties,” said ARA CEO Paul Zahra.
The association estimates that a fifth of Australians will celebrate Halloween, and each will spend an average of $93 on trick or treating, costumes, decorations and events.