Retailers are braced for bumper Halloween as adults drive sales

Retailers estimate that Halloween will be worth£140 million to the industry this year – a ten-fold increase since 2001.

Woolworths said a third of its Halloween range is now targeted at adults, including adult Frankenstein outfits, scary masks and a skeleton punch bowl.

Woolworths events manager Lindsay Evans said: “Halloween is big business, much more so than it was in the 1990s. We have seen a shift away from people holding parties for Guy Fawkes Night and concentrating more on Halloween. But it is not only for kids – adults are just as likely to celebrate.”

John Lewis merchandiser for gift food and seasonal events Alan Wright expected sales to be double those of last year. “Our Halloween gift food range is trading better than ever, with gingerbread haunted house construction kits and chocolate bat lollies all selling quickly,” he said.

Supermarket group Asda agreed that adults are fuelling the boom in Halloween sales. This year, it said adult party sales have rocketed 43 per cent and that adult costumes are becoming as popular as children’s.

An Asda spokeswoman said that this year it has already sold 80,000 pumpkins at£1 each – a 172 per cent increase on last year.

Bookseller Borders UK said it is planning a host of events and parties over the next 10 days.

Borders UK senior buyer for children’s books Becky Strudwick said: “Halloween gets bigger year on year. Awareness seems to start earlier each year and it’s a much bigger selling opportunity for us.

“It now easily ranks in importance alongside Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day for sales generation.”