Halloween may look and feel a little different this year as people decide how they will celebrate – whether it’s having fun from a distance, trick-or-treating, enjoying Halloween at home or something in between. A poll conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the National Confectioners Association found that 63% of adults believe that people will find creative, fun and safe ways to celebrate the Halloween season this year.
Americans are looking forward to Halloween to add some normalcy and joy to what has been a very serious and uncertain time. In a poll conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of NCA, 74% of millennial moms and young parents say that Halloween is more important than ever this year.
“Consumers report that they will be getting creative throughout the month of October to make sure that they can stay safe and still enjoy the Halloween season,” John Downs, president & CEO of the National Confectioners Association, said. “The results of our research reveal a deeply rooted enthusiasm for Halloween, even if it means that people have to rethink their approach this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to The Harris Poll’s research, an overwhelming majority of respondents say they can’t imagine Halloween without chocolate and candy and trick-or-treating is irreplaceable – that includes 80% of the general public and 90% of millennial moms and young parents. And according to an independent survey from Insight to Action, 70% of moms plan to celebrate the Halloween season with their children this year. This is some great news for candy makers who are taking a more conservative approach to the holiday this year.
“There will be regional differences across the country in terms of how communities choose to celebrate the Halloween season, but one thing is for sure – Halloween is happening,” Downs said.
So how do families intend to celebrate? Not much different than in years past. A full 35% of moms anticipate buying costumes for their children. And 33% expect to purchase costumes for themselves or other adults in the household this Halloween. In terms of spending, these consumers overwhelmingly expect Halloween spending for 2020 to be the same as last year. And if you’re worried about trick or treating, nearly half of the respondents in the Insight to Action survey said they still plan to take their kids trick or treating this year.
So while Halloween may look different this year due to social distancing and COVID-19, it sounds like most families still intend on celebrating the only way they know how, with tons of candy and spooky decorations.
