Hey kiddos, grownups want to be all-in on Halloween fun for themselves, too 🎃👻🧛
When it’s time to start trick-or-treating on Halloween, don’t expect adults to step aside and let the kids have all the fun.
Grownups are increasing claiming the festive and spooky event for themselves, too. There even a term for it — “Adultoween.”
More 25-to 34-year-olds are jumping into Halloween as enthusiastically, or even more so, than youngsters, according to a report from the National Retail Federation.
This age group, the NRF said, is more likely than any other to get an early start on the holiday, with 56% having started shopping for Halloween items even before October.
“That’s no surprise. At 86%, they are the age group most likely to celebrate Halloween and they spend an average of $124.43 per person on the holiday, about $20 more than consumers overall,” the report said. Total spending on Halloween is expected to reach $11.6 billion this year on things like costumes, candy and scary decor, compared to last year’s record-setting $12.2 billion, the report said.
Brands getting behind “Adultoween”
Speaking of grownup Halloween revelers, candy maker Ferrero North America, whose brands include Tic Tac mints, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder, Butterfinger and Crunch, conducted a survey in early September of more than 5,000 adults aged 18 and older to glean insight from how they plan to celebrate the festive occasion and then tailor its product mix and marketing efforts to them.
Here’s what it found: 69% of adults are buying candy even if they don’t expect trick-or-treaters to show up. As many as 47% of adults are donning a costume just for fun and 67% of adults with children are buying extra candy to keep a secret keep a stash for themselves after the holiday .
Also, 36% of adults are dressing up their pets in costume.
"It's no longer just about creating a fun experience for kids with candy, costumes and decor – adults are indulging more than ever and using Halloween as an opportunity to celebrate and enjoy their favorite treats,” Neal Finkler, vice president of marketing for the Ferrero Mainstream Chocolate portfolio, said in a statement.
Other brands have also recognized the growing market appeal of Halloween for older customers. Build-A-Bear Workshop, popular for its make-it-yourself teddy bears and other cute and cuddly stuffed animals, said 40% is its customers are now made up of teens and adults. So it expanded its Halloween plush toys collection this year in response to what it called a "kidulting" trend.
"While children remain our core consumer, Build-A-Bear has also seen a significant increase in teens and adults sales over the past few years, which have therefore had a growing influence over decisions for concepts, designs, and licenses particularly for product featured in our exclusive age-gated area on the company's website called 'The Bear Cave,’” Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, said in a statement.
Finally, fast-food chain Wendy’s this year has created a separate Boo! Bag meal for adults (with their own collectible toy) so that the “kidults” don’t feel left out.