Love it or hate it, there’s no mistaking that Halloween is now a significant spending event in the retail calendar. New research from human experience platform UserTesting, based on a poll of over 500 UK consumers, reveals that 41% of shoppers believe Halloween spending now rivals Christmas.
This isn’t strictly borne out by the numbers. Christmas dominates seasonal spending by a wide margin – UK consumers spent an estimated £88.3 billion during the Christmas period in 2024, making it the single largest retail event of the year. In contrast, the projected retail spend for Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) 2025 is £3.9 billion; 58% of UK adults (31.9 million people) plan to shop during the Black Friday weekend, with an average spend of £124 per person.
Other UK holiday events such as Valentine’s Day and Halloween trail these significantly. UK spending on Valentine’s Day is around £1.5 billion, with a projected £779 million for Halloween 2025. But UserTesting data’s nonetheless shows strong momentum. 59% of consumers plan to spend up to £100 on Halloween this year, and 37% say that’s more than last year. Popular categories include sweets and food (67%), costumes (53%), and home decorations (52%). All this firmly cements Halloween’s position as a significant spending event for retailers.
This surge means retailers may need to rethink their “Golden Quarter” strategies. Traditionally dominated by Black Friday and Christmas, the peak season now starts earlier, with Halloween driving demand for themed products and impulse buys. For brands, this is an opportunity to capture spend through seasonal ranges, rapid fulfilment, and creative marketing.
While some consumers loathe Halloween, thinking it frivolous or silly, others – particularly younger people – love the opportunity to dress up and celebrate. As consumer enthusiasm grows, Halloween is no longer just a spooky sideshow, but a serious spending event that could reshape retail calendars for years to come.
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