The Future of Halloween Shopping: Earlier, Longer, and More Occasion-Based
The Halloween season is starting earlier than ever before, driven by the "Summerween" trend. Hershey notes that consumers are now enjoying the festivities in stages while embracing a "treat me" mentality .
Key Consumer Insights:
Parents are increasingly likely to buy seasonal candy before September — 77% for chocolate, 72% for gummies
Halloween is evolving from a single day into a multi-month retail season
Consumers are looking for products that serve multiple occasions and offer value beyond October 31
Retailers are responding by stocking Halloween merchandise earlier and expanding assortments across categories, from giant yard decorations to pet costumes and salty snacks
Industry Summary
Additional US Halloween product news for 2026 is characterized by:
Home Depot's App-Controlled Skelly: The iconic 12-foot skeleton now features Bluetooth voice control, custom recordings, 20 eye effects, and head/jaw movements at $379, with 30+ new decorations joining the lineup .
Hershey's Largest Portfolio: "Hersheyween" features 20+ products including 26 million Reese's Pumpkins, Kit Kat Count & Witch, Cookies 'N' Creme Fangs, and expanded salty offerings (Pirate's Booty, SkinnyPop, LesserEvil) .
Costume Controversies: Target, Walmart, and Amazon pulled an Orion Costumes "German soldier" costume following backlash, marking the second Target Halloween costume controversy in two weeks .
Tariff Impact: Business is expected to only see a slight increase despite Halloween falling on Saturday, due to tariffs (30-145%) on China-based imports and cautious retail ordering .
Pet Halloween Growth: Searches for Halloween dog bandanas rose 400%, dog costumes 233%, with retailers creating dedicated pet assortments .
Pottery Barn's First Halloween Sale: Labor Day sale marks first-ever discounts on Halloween decor, up to 70% off .
Pop Culture Costumes: Supergirl, Masters of the Universe, Barbie, and Stranger Things are expected top costume trends .
Jolly Rancher Innovation: Trickies Minis feature colors that don't match flavors, creating an interactive candy experience .
