Australians are tipped to spend $490 million for Halloween this year, up 14% or $60 million on 2022.
Research from the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) in collaboration with Roy Morgan noted the average spend for the October 31 holiday is projected to be $93 per person, up by $7 or 8.1% from a year ago.
Of those taking part, 49% will purchase a Halloween costume, 45% will take part in trick or treating, 39% will stock up on candy and 36% will decorate their home.
The research also found more than 5.3 million Australians will celebrate Halloween this year, up 300,000 on last year.
Australians aged 35-49 are the most likely to celebrate Halloween - at 40% which is up 3% on a year ago and equating to 2.1 million people.
2.1 million of those aged 18-34 will celebrate (34%), while 620,000 people aged 50-64 (13%) and 430,000 of those aged 65 or more (9%) will celebrate on October 31.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra said the increased spend this year in the face of cost-of-living pressures indicates the growing popularity of Halloween in Australia - particularly for adults.
“Halloween is now a global phenomenon and is increasingly becoming a cherished Aussie tradition,” Zahra said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for families to have fun and get creative – to go costume shopping, give the home an eery makeover or host a party.
Zahra said retailers will also take part, with themed windows and store displays as part of a big promotional push in the lead up to October 31.
“Halloween is a great chance for Australians to let their hair down and partake in some spooky silliness during this challenging economic period,” Zahra said.
“It’s also important for retailers to build sales momentum in the run-up to Christmas.”
As the holiday continues to gain traction in Australia, the ARA noted the United States is expecting a record $12.2 billion spend, according to the National Retail Federation.
This ARA-Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australian-wide cross-section on Friday, September 15.