With Halloween fast becoming one of the UK’s most spook-tacular retail occasions, brands face a fresh challenge: new LHF advertising restrictions on TV and online start to come into effect this October, just as Halloween spending peaks. In this shifting landscape, success depends on being in the right place at the right time. Out of Home remains one of the few broadcast-scale channels that connects with light buyers and hard-to-reach audiences, casting a wide spell on purchase decisions across the country.
By Rosie Holt (Research and Insight Manager)
Halloween matters more than ever for brands
In our latest Retail Occasions study, we asked 1,000 shoppers about their Halloween plans. Halloween acts as a Category Entry Point (CEP), a time when shoppers naturally focus on categories like confectionery, drinks, decorations, and party supplies.
With £951 million spent in 2024 and 67% of UK adults planning to take part this October, Halloween has evolved far beyond costumes and sweets. It’s now a key opportunity for brands to show up in two essential ways: mental availability (being top of mind) and physical availability (being easy to buy).
A spooky season for every shopper
Halloween shoppers aren’t a single group. This year, 89% of 18–34s and 91% of families plan to make a purchase, with students also highly engaged. Halloween also presents an ideal moment to engage light buyers, those who purchase in these categories less frequently, offering a fangtastic opportunity for brand growth. Shopper behaviour also varies; some plan early and carefully, while others buy on impulse just days before the event.
Celebrations are evolving too, over a quarter of respondents carved pumpkins, a similar number attended parties, and one in five went trick-or-treating. Halloween is now a cross-generational event that brings all ages together.
It also overlaps with other autumn festivals like Diwali and Day of the Dead, giving brands the chance to connect across cultures and extend relevance through seasonal messaging about light, food, and gathering.
Trolley full of tricks and treats
Halloween naturally casts a spooky spotlight on categories like confectionery, soft drinks, alcohol, and home décor. And despite the growth of online shopping, most Halloween purchases still happen in-store: 72% of confectionery, 80% of alcohol, and 78% of soft drink shoppers say they plan to buy in person this year.
That makes physical availability essential, ensuring your brand is easy to find and buy when shoppers are ready to act. Out of Home (OOH) advertising supports this with proximity planning, placing ads near key locations and points of purchase, and the ability to activate campaigns using time-of-day or data-driven triggers to engage shoppers when they’re most likely to buy.
How to show up and stand out this Halloween
To turn seasonal attention into lasting growth, successful brands can follow a simple three-step strategy:
Build awareness in the lead-up to Halloween using Bauer Media Outdoor’s unmatched reach to maintain mental availability.
Reinforce presence with Bauer Media Outdoor proximity packages that support physical availability near high-footfall areas.
Remind at point of sale through Bauer Media Outdoor’s retail media networks, including screens in supermarkets, malls, and on the high street - capturing attention in the final moments of decision-making.
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Make Halloween count with Out of Home
Halloween is no longer just about dressing up, it’s one of the UK’s biggest retail opportunities. To stand out, brands must balance mental availability - being front of mind when shoppers think about Halloween, and physical availability - being easy to find in store.
With advertising restrictions tightening for LHF products on TV and online, OOH offers a powerful alternative; helping brands reach broad, diverse audiences - including light buyers and last-minute shoppers at scale.
By showing up consistently across OOH, brands can connect with Halloween’s ever-growing audience and turn a seasonal spike into a real thriller.
Sources: Toluna Halloween Retail Occasion Survey, May 25. IPA Touchpoints, 2024. Mintel, Halloween 2024
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