A treat of a tradition: Consumers embrace the Halloween spirit
A recent Deloitte survey finds Halloween is becoming a cherished household tradition, with shoppers embracing festive celebrations, experiences, and early-season retail trips
Article
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2-min read
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28 September 2026
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Deloitte Consumer Industry Center
Halloween has materialized into a household tradition for many, with 92% of surveyed US households planning to participate in at least one Halloween activity in 2026.
Despite mixed economic sentiment, the 2026 Deloitte Halloween Survey finds consumer spending intentions haven’t wavered. Most retail shoppers expect to match or exceed last year’s Halloween spend, budgeting for an average of US$285 per household. And most of these shoppers say they can comfortably afford their planned Halloween celebrations.
Surveyed consumers expect most of their Halloween-related shopping activity to be concentrated in a tight late-summer or early-fall window and skew heavily toward in-store, everyday retail formats rather than specialty or online channels. However, the most enthusiastic Halloween shoppers—those kicking off their spending before mid-August—plan to spend more on average and have the broadest participation across all activities and retail categories.
Key takeaways
Casting a wide spell on households
For a traditionally smaller holiday, Halloween draws outsized participation, with 92% of surveyed households planning to participate and families with kids engaging across more categories. They plan to participate in six Halloween activities (like handing out treats and decorating their home or yard), versus four for households without kids.
Shoppers not spooked to spend on Halloween
Households plan to spend an average of $285 across retail categories, events, activities, and dining (US$219 on retail spending and US$66 on experiences). Despite mixed economic sentiment, 34% of surveyed consumers plan to spend more than they did in 2025. Seventy-one percent of spenders say they can comfortably afford their planned Halloween celebration.
An early start summons monster spending
The earliest Halloween shoppers get a jump on their spending before mid-August and plan to spend 1.7x more on average across all activities and retail categories, compared with late shoppers. These early shoppers are also more enthusiastic about décor, costumes, and hosting, creating opportunities for retailers to cater to this group in a more targeted manner.
Methodology
The 2026 Deloitte Halloween Survey was conducted online using an independent research panel, between August 18 and August 26, 2026. The nationally representative survey polled 1,500 US households with respondents over 18 years, who were knowledgeable about household Halloween plans and spending. The quota-controlled sample reflects key demographic and household characteristics. It covers Halloween participation and expected spending, including households with no planned Halloween spending. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for the full sample.
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by
Natalie Martini
Deloitte United States
Brian McCarthy
Deloitte United States
Stephen Rogers
Deloitte United States
Lupine Skelly
Deloitte United States
Manvi Verma
Deloitte India (Offices of the US)
Editorial (including production and copyediting): Rithu Thomas, Preetha Devan, Arpan Saha, and Anu Augustine
Design: Molly Piersol
Cover image by: Sofia Laviano; Adobe Stock
Knowledge services: Viswa Teja Vanapalli
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