Halloween falls on a Friday this year, which means more and different ways of celebrating the pinnacle of spooky season.

Or does it?

Halloween has certainly become one of the biggest holidays of the calendar year, racking up sales across several categories and spawning micro-occasions like Summerween and pumpkin spice product drops. In 2025, as consumers remain resilient yet wary and adaptive, Circana’s unrivaled Complete Consumer insights reveal some cross-industry behaviors and purchase trends that aren’t necessarily scary for brands, retailers and foodservice operators but demonstrate areas of opportunity.  The data also confirms this a powerhouse season that leads to lifts in many sectors.

Let’s pull back the cobwebs and take a look at how this year’s Halloween weekend is shaping up in different industries.

The tricks behind the candy treats

Candy, of course, is at the heart of Halloween celebrations. Out of the 29% of shoppers who will be passing out treats to trick or treaters, more than 70 report that they will serve or give out packaged candy in 2025, according to Circana's data.

Broader market circumstances are affecting candy sales in the run-up to Halloween. With shoppers still focused on value amid ongoing economic headwinds, sales of smaller-sized chocolate items for Halloween are up versus 2024.

Higher-than-usual chocolate prices are also influencing decisions at the point of sale. For an eight-week period extending through mid-September, sales of non-chocolate Halloween candy outpaced chocolate items. As of Sept. 14, non-chocolate pound seasonal sales were up 4.5%, while seasonal sales of non-chocolate candies dropped 13.7%. As more people buy candy for trick-or-treaters closer to Oct. 31, Circana’s experts predict a tight race to the end between chocolate and non-chocolate candies.

Consumers are mixing things up when it comes to candy for this holiday, too. For example, shape is a product attribute that is (literally) defining Halloween candy trends in 2025, as many brands have rolled out uniquely-shaped chocolate and non-chocolate candies. Some consumers are having fun with some of the shaped candies, evident in social media posts comparing the shape depicted on the package with the actual shape of the confection inside.

“Whether reaching for classic favorites or new assortments, Halloween trick-or-treaters have a delicious variety of large bags to choose from—making every doorstep a sweet adventure.”

Sally Lyons Wyatt, Global EVP & Chief Advisor, Consumer Goods & Foodservice Insights, Circana

Carving out a spot for foodservice

Halloween isn’t known for being a big away-from-home dining date, but many parents of trick-or-treaters who don’t have time to make meals at home pick up to-go orders or order delivery.  The Friday timing of Oct. 31 coincides with an already-busy day for restaurants: Circana’s research affirms that Friday dinner is the busiest meal of the week. Friday dinner traffic accounts for 18% of weekly dinner traffic — 24% more than the average day.  To bump up sales and orders even more, marketing-savvy restaurateurs are touting Halloween-themed dishes and special prices.

Beauty products scare up sales

Makeup and hair products have long been Halloween staples. Last year, for instance, nearly 2.5 million buyers purchased false eyelashes in the two weeks leading up to Halloween, a 12% increase versus the prior two-week period. This surge highlights how consumers turn to bold, transformative products to complete their Halloween aesthetics, whether for parties, social media content, or trick-or-treating.

With the officially occasion just days away, there are still ways to capitalize on last-minute demands, like spotlighting quick-transform products such as lashes, glitter, and bold lip colors in endcaps and digital campaigns; leaning to mood-setting storytelling with fragrance and home scents; and driving urgency and inspiration based on social media and influencer content. Circana’s insights show that trending themes for 2025 include “Wicked” (with the second installment of the movie premiering next month), gothic glam, and fantasy.

“Halloween continues to be more than just costumes—it’s a celebration of creativity, transformation, and self-expression, making it a prime moment for beauty brands to connect with consumers in playful and immersive ways.” 

Larissa Jensen, SVP, Global Beauty Industry Advisor, Circana

What are you dressing up as for Halloween? 

Among those who celebrate Halloween, 39% of consumers — total consumers, not just children — opted for a ready-to-wear costume last year and about one-third (34%) went the DIY route.  This year, some familiar favorites are back in costumes: In September, the top five costume licenses included Spider-Man, Minecraft, Scream, Disney Princess and Super Mario Brothers.

As in past years, Halloween is celebrated at a time when shoppers have their eye on merchandise for other upcoming holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. Consumer sentiment data shows that the 2025 holiday shopping season will be even more spread out than last year. Circana’s annual holiday intentions consumer survey shows that 24% of shoppers already started or even finished their holiday shopping as of early October.