Washington — U.S. consumers are expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, up from a record $13.1 billion in 2025, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.
Candy remains the most popular Halloween purchase, with 96 percent of consumers planning to buy sweets. Spending on candy is expected to total $4.1 billion.
Overall, 74 percent of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween this year, compared with 73 percent in 2025 and 68 percent in 2019. Handing out candy is the most popular activity, cited by 61 percent of respondents, followed by dressing in costume at 50 percent. Decorating homes or yards, carving pumpkins, and watching scary movies were each cited by 42 percent.
“Consumers continue to make Halloween a spending priority, but they are also approaching the season with affordability in mind,” says Allison Zeller, NRF vice-president of industry and consumer insights. “This year’s results show that shoppers are being thoughtful and strategic, looking for ways to maximize value throughout the season.”
Consumers expect to spend an average of $115.14 per person, roughly in line with $114.45 in 2025. If shoppers encounter higher-than-expected prices, 31 percent say they will comparison shop and 26 percent will seek coupons or sales. Another 34 percent plan to look for products that can be reused in future years or repurposed for other occasions.
Halloween shopping also continues to start earlier. Nearly half of consumers, 49 percent, plan to begin shopping in September or earlier, compared with 34 percent in 2016. Among early shoppers, 42 percent say they start because they look forward to fall, while 34 percent cite Halloween as one of their favorite holidays. Twenty-three percent shop early to spread purchases across their budgets.
Beyond candy, 78 percent of consumers plan to purchase decorations, representing an estimated $4.3 billion in spending. Costumes are expected to generate $4.4 billion, with 71 percent planning to make a purchase. Another $800 million is expected to be spent on greeting cards.
Artificial intelligence is also becoming part of Halloween shopping. Nearly half of consumers, 47 percent, are using AI platforms and tools to assist with their purchases. Among those uses, 34 percent are turning to AI for brainstorming and planning, while 32 percent use it for recommendations or ideas during product research.
“AI is becoming an increasingly common part of the consumer shopping journey,” says Phil Rist, executive vice-president of strategy at Prosper. “As consumers prepare for Halloween, many are using these tools to brainstorm costumes and decorating themes, explore product options, and find inspiration that help bring their celebrations to life.”
NRF’s survey of 7,889 consumers was conducted September 1 to 9 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
