The National Retail Federation’s annual 2026 Halloween consumer survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics shows consumer spending on Halloween is expected to reach $13.5 billion this year.
Halloween shopping highlights for 2026:
Consumer spending on Halloween is expected to reach $13.5 billion this year.
Halloween remains a popular holiday for consumers, with 74% planning to celebrate this year.
About half of consumers (49%) say they began shopping for Halloween in September or earlier.
Activities like handing out candy (61%), dressing in costume (50%), decorating their home or yard (42%), carving pumpkins (42%) and watching scary movies (42%) are the top ways consumers mark the occasion.
Halloween spending explained
2026 Halloween consumer spending Q&A
Video Q&A with NRF Senior Analyst Lea Grgich on Halloween 2026 consumer spending and trends.
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Halloween Data Center
Consumer spending trends during the spookiest retail event of the year.
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Historical highlights
2025
Press Release: NRF Consumer Survey Finds Halloween Spending to Reach Record $13.1 Billion
Articles:
Video Q&A: View here
2024
Press Release: Nearly Half of Halloween Shoppers to Start Purchasing Items Before October
Video Q&A: View here
2023
Article: 5 things to know about how consumers are shopping for Halloween
Press release: Halloween Spending to Reach Record $12.2 Billion as Participation Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Levels
Video Q&A: View here
2022
Article: 3 Ways Generation Z is celebrating Halloween this year
Press release: Halloween participation returns to pre-pandemic levels with record spending
Results of the Halloween spending survey are released each year in late September.