U.S. consumers are expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual consumer survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. The estimate is above the previous record of $13.1 billion set in 2025.
Seventy-four percent of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween, similar to last year and above the 68% who planned to celebrate in 2019. Nearly half (49%) expected to begin shopping in September or earlier, reflecting the holiday’s expansion into a longer shopping season.
Consumers plan to spend an average of $115.14 per person. At the same time, shoppers report taking steps to manage costs. If Halloween items are more expensive than expected, 31% plan to comparison shop and 26% will look for coupons or sales. Another 34% plan to seek products they can reuse or repurpose.
Candy remains the most common Halloween purchase, with 96% of consumers planning to buy sweets and spending expected to reach $4.1 billion. Decorations are expected to account for $4.3 billion, while costumes are projected at $4.4 billion. Greeting card purchases are also increasing, with 42% of consumers planning to buy them, up from 38% in 2025.
Discount stores remain the most popular shopping destination at 39%, followed by specialty Halloween and costume stores at 32% and online retailers at 27%. Thirteen percent of consumers plan to shop at local and small businesses, nearly double the share reported in 2016.
The survey also found that 47% of consumers plan to use AI tools during their Halloween shopping journey, primarily for brainstorming, product research, and inspiration.
