Americans aren’t scared about splurging on Halloween, survey shows

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Elevated inflation and economic uncertainty don’t appear to be spooking consumers when it comes to participating in Halloween. A record number of Americans — 73% — will join in on Halloween-related activities this year, such as handing out candy, decorating their homes or dressing up in costume, according to the National Retail Federation. Today we’re spotlighting what trends experts are predicting and whether candy companies will get a trick or a treat this year.?

WHAT’S HAPPENING

• Total Halloween spending is expected to reach a record $12.2 billion, soaring above last year’s record of $10.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey.?
• Spending on decorations, which grew more popular during the pandemic and are still resonating with consumers, is expected to reach $3.9 billion, NRF says.
• Per person spending has also lurched up as consumers plan on spending a record $108.24 each on Halloween, up from the previous record of $102.74 two years ago.
• But the biggest jump in spending is on costumes: 69% of those celebrating Halloween plan to buy them – the most in the survey’s history. Spending on costumes is expected to reach a record $4.1 billion, up from $3.6 billion last year.

TOP COSTUMES THIS YEAR

• Hollywood has enchanted many costume-wearers this year: Barbie, Spider-Man and Wednesday Addams are among the most searched costume ideas in the US, according to Google Trends’ Frightgeist.
• After “Barbie” made history with a $1 billion box office run, the doll is number three on the NRF’s list of adult costumes. Witch and vampire lurk at the top of that list.?
• Like the “Barbie” movie, the success of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is landing the superhero at the top of the list for kids.
• Netflix released its series "Wednesday," a spin-off of "The Addams Family," last November, after Halloween had already passed, thus robbing everyone's favorite goth of her shining moment as a top Halloween costume for 2022. But she’s back from the dead at No. 10 on the NRF list this year.
• Don’t have a costume yet? Here are 10 DIY last-minute Halloween costumes for kids and adults.?
• We also dug up some excellent stories from previous years to indulge your curiosity. Check out the history of costumes on Halloween. And are you unnerved that your costume could be seen as offensive? See if it passes the test.

CANDY SALES

• Spending on tasty wrapped treats is expected to climb to $3.6 billion, up from $3.1 billion in 2022, NRF says.?
• Candy companies are banking on Halloween and upcoming holidays to boost their sales. For Hershey, up to 30% of its business comes from the holidays, including Halloween, each year.?
• Hershey, with its self-branded chocolate bar, Kit Kat, Reese’s and more, is feeling the crunch as cocoa's wholesale prices have been steadily rising due to strong demand and supply scarcity caused by poor yields.
• Net sales of the company’s North America confectionery segment grew nearly 10% in the third quarter, year-over-year. But the increases were driven by a spike in prices, not volume — a sign that people are spending more but buying less.?
• Other candy companies, like Ferrara (whose brands include Brach’s, Laffy Taffy, Nerds, Pixy Stix and SweeTARTS), have been struggling with a similar dynamic.
• Love it or hate it? Brach’s is one of the biggest makers of candy corn, and it’s trying to keep interest in the candy alive. Brach’s has explored several marketing tactics for the polarizing kernels. This year, the brand launched a line of Fall Festival candy corn, with new flavors including kettle corn, caramel apple, cotton candy, and others. Check out these seven strange facts about candy corn.

Does your budget for Halloween look different this year? What unique costumes have you seen so far? Did you buy candy to hand out? We’d love to hear your take in the comments section below.

We’ve got a wicked grab bag of treats for you from CNN’s treasure chest:

• The air will have a definite chill Tuesday night – but not just because of creepy disguises roaming the streets. The temperatures will feel more like Christmas.
• In a baking mood? Our partners at Food Network have adorable ghost recipes, cupcakes too cute to eat and eerie-sistible cookies for you.
• Test your Halloween IQ with our quiz!
• And see how Heidi Klum became the undisputed queen of celebrity Halloween.

Other stories people are clicking on today:

Israel-Hamas war: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear today that Israel won’t agree to a ceasefire, saying, “This is a time for war.” Israel's military has expanded ground operations in Gaza in the past few days. Meantime, more aid trucks are moving into Gaza, amid warnings from the United Nations that “civil order” is deteriorating. President Biden pressed Netanyahu yesterday to “immediately and significantly” scale up the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Stay updated on the war and its humanitarian impact.

Losing a friend: Condolences are pouring in for “Friends” actor Matthew Perry, who died Saturday at age 54. Former colleagues have looked back fondly on working with the “warm,” “funny,” and “creative” Perry. Los Angeles investigators are waiting to see toxicology reports before determining his cause of death, which could take weeks. Read more about Perry’s life full of joy, as well as the pain of addiction.

End of the road for UAW strike? The historic autoworkers strike appears to have an end in sight. General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative deal to end the strike, now in its seventh week, according to a source. GM has been the last holdout since the union came to an agreement with Ford and Stellantis within the past week. All three deals will need to be ratified by rank-and-file members.

'Acapulco needs a lot of help': Mexican officials say Hurricane Otis has killed at least 45, with just as many missing. The Category 5 storm tore through Acapulco early last Wednesday, leaving the popular beach destination in ruins, with 80% of hotels severely damaged. New satellite images capture the scale of destruction wrought by 165 mph winds and flooding.

Spain’s former soccer chief banned: FIFA has banned Luis Rubiales, Spain's former soccer president, for three years over his unwanted kiss on star player Jennifer Hermoso at the Women's World Cup final in August. Soccer's global governing body said Rubiales' actions during the medal ceremony after Spain's win were in breach of its disciplinary code. Rubiales has described the kiss as "mutual," a claim Hermoso denied, saying she did not consent and wasn't respected. He says he’ll appeal FIFA’s decision “so that justice is served and the truth shines.” Rubliales also faces an ongoing criminal investigation for sexual assault.

Rules for artificial intelligence: The Biden administration today rolled out what officials are calling the most significant action any government has taken to address the risks — and potential — of AI. The sweeping executive order will require developers of powerful AI systems to share safety test results with the federal government and notify authorities if AI in development has potential for national security, economic or health risks. The order also develops best practices to minimize the risk of artificial intelligence replacing human workers. Congress is also considering legislation and the US has been talking with allies about how to develop an international AI code of conduct.

Pharmacy walkout: Workers at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies are staging a three-day series of walkouts to demand better working conditions. Most employees of the two pharmacy chains are not unionized, which makes a large-scale walkout difficult, but an organizer tells CNN his group is overwhelmed with calls about today’s closures and that he expects momentum to build, with Wednesday as the biggest day of action. Walkouts were set to coincide with what organizers say is usually a busy time for prescriptions and vaccinations, and highlight issues like understaffing they say can risk customer safety. CVS and Walgreens tell CNN they haven’t seen much disruption from walkouts today. A CVS spokesperson says the company is dedicated to providing “consistent, safe, high-quality health care” and is talking with its pharmacists about their concerns. Walgreens previously told CNN it’s been working to recruit and retain pharmacy staff since the onset of the pandemic.

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