Research from Verdict Retail has suggested that Halloween has “established itself as a key occasion in the retail calendar”, with 29% of UK consumers planning to buy Halloween-related retail goods.

According to the research, over a third of females intend to spend on retail for Halloween, with 36% planning to make a purchase, compared to just 23% of males. However, men are more likely to buy bigger ticket items, as they plan to spend £48 on Halloween, £20 more than females.

UK consumers with children, unsurprisingly, are twice as likely to buy into Halloween, with 44% spending on retail goods for the occasion, compared to just 19% of UK shoppers without children. There is, however, little difference in spend, with parents spending £39, and those without children spending just £6 less according to estimates.

Kate Ormrod, Senior Analyst, Clothing & Footwear at Verdict, commented: “The grocers and discounters will be the big winners this year over Halloween, with 30% of Halloween shoppers planning to spend in Asda, and 25% intending to buy goods at Tesco – with the grocers especially popular among 25–44 year old family shoppers. With the one-off nature of the event, pound shops will also be busy in the run up to 31 October, with 28% of shoppers planning to visit 99p Stores, and 20% visiting Poundland.”