Midwesterners are looking forward to Halloween, but one in four say value will be especially important this year, according to a new survey of more than 1,000 adults conducted by Meijer and The Harris Poll.
The findings point to a season of familiar traditions on tighter budgets, from costumed pets to chocolate-heavy candy bowls. The survey polled 1,003 adults in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin from Aug. 24-26.
Key findings
- 91 percent plan to purchase candy for Halloween, with chocolate topping the list at 78 percent, followed by fruit-flavored candy at 53 percent.
- 70 percent plan to decorate their home or yard.
- One in three (33 percent) plan to dress up their pets for Halloween this year.
- Nearly half (49 percent) say they typically eat something easy and quick, such as pizza, for dinner on Halloween.
- One in four (25 percent) plan to spend less on Halloween this year.
“Halloween is a holiday rooted in childhood tradition and fun, and we want to help ensure our customers can continue to make those special memories with their families,” said Don Sanderson, chief merchandising and marketing officer at Meijer. “Our stores are stocked and ready to help our customers celebrate the season at a great value without sacrificing joy or quality.”
Costume and candy values
With shoppers focused on value, the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer said more than half of its decor items are priced at $10 or less, with most costumes and accessories for people and pets at $25 or less. Candy offers include 9.6-ounce bags of Reese’s Pumpkins at $5.79 and 20-ounce bags of Brach’s Classic Candy Corn on sale at $4.99, along with Midwest-grown pumpkins for $4.99. Meijer also has expanded its variety of pet costumes.
Meijer operates more than 500 supercenters, grocery stores, neighborhood markets and express locations throughout the Midwest with about 70,000 team members.
Related: Mars Data: 2 In 5 Halloween Shoppers Buy A ‘Buffer Bag’ Of Candy