MONTGOMERY – Even though Halloween falls on a Monday this year, retailers are seeing strong sales for items relating to the spooky holiday. U.S. consumers are expected to spend an average of $82.93, up from last year’s $74.34, with more than 171 million Americans planning to partake in Halloween festivities this year.

Here in Alabama, spending is expected to reach $126 million, the Alabama Retail Association predicts. Those buying Halloween items will splurge on their favorite decorations, candy and costumes, with 71 percent of people planning to hand out candy, 47 percent to dress in costume and 48 percent to decorate their yards.

“People have been loving our yard decorations,” said Mary Anne Glazner, owner of Smith’s Variety in Mountain Brook’s Crestline Village. “The hanging ghosts and huge spiders we carry have been selling out. We have been very busy,” added Glazner. Smith’s Variety carries home decor, gifts, candy, stationary, ribbon, and monogrammed items.

“For retailers, Halloween kicks off a busy shopping season, as the holidays are just around the corner,” said Rick Brown, president of Alabama Retail Association. “Strong Halloween sales means consumer confidence is high, and retailers hope that translates to a good November and December.”

Halloween Costumes: Superheroes Dethrone Princesses
For the first time in 11 years, princess costumes aren’t the top-selling children’s costume. This year, more children than ever before will be celebrating Halloween dressed as their favorite superhero, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2016 Halloween Consumer Top Costumes Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. More than three million children will dress as their favorite action or superhero, 2.9 million will dress as their favorite princess, and 2.5 million plan to dress as a cat, dog, bunny or other animal.

Halloween isn’t just a holiday for kids, and this year plenty of adults will be getting in on the action. While the most popular adults costume is a witch, it’s no surprise that more than four percent of adults will use current events like the presidential election for their costume inspiration. Sixteen percent of families will also dress their pets in costume. Pumpkin, hot dog and bumble bee top the list again this year.

According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, total spending for Halloween is expected to reach $8.4 billion nationwide, an all-time high in the survey’s history.

The Alabama Retail Association represents retailers, the largest private employer in the state of Alabama, before the Alabama Legislature and the U.S. Congress. Through sales of food, clothing, furniture, medicine and more, our 4,100 independent merchant and national company members touch almost every aspect of daily living. Since 1943, we’ve worked to promote what’s best for the retail industry in Alabama. Whether voicing the retail view when public policy is made, educating members about issues that impact them, negotiating rates for benefits and services or communicating the retail story, the Alabama Retail Association and its members are better together.

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Melissa Johnson Warnke | 256.338.0621