Australians are tipped to spend $510 million on costumes, decorations and treats this Halloween, but fewer people will embrace the spooky spirit as household budgets remain under pressure, according to fresh research from the Australia Retail Council (ARC) in partnership with Roy Morgan.
With fright night falling on a Saturday this year, around 4.4 million Australians plan to celebrate themselves or through their children, down 400,000 from last year. Participation has fallen to 18 per cent, compared with 21 per cent in 2025.
Total spending is forecast to reach $510 million, up $10 million, or 2 per cent, on last year, falling short of inflation. Average spending among those celebrating is tipped to reach $117, up $14, or 13.6 per cent, on last year.
Younger Australians remain the most enthusiastic, with 18–34-year-olds the largest age group taking part. They are forecast to spend the most on average at around $134 each, contributing around $200 million in total.
“Halloween remains a popular community celebration, bringing neighbours and families with children together through costumes, decorations and trick-or-treating,” said ARC Chief Industry Engagement Officer Fleur Brown.
“Those taking part plan to spend more on average, but fewer Australians are joining in this year. Whilst the event has risen in popularity over recent years, cost-of-living pressures including RBA rate rises are clearly taking a bite out of this year’s celebrations.”
Victoria is forecast to record the highest average spending among the three largest states at $136 per person, followed by Queensland at $120 and New South Wales at $109. Combined spending across these states is tipped to reach around $410 million, up $20 million on last year.
Other key findings from the ARC and Roy Morgan research:
“For retailers, Halloween remains an important spending occasion ahead of peak season,” Ms Brown said. “Whether it be a bowl of lollies at the front door or going all out and dressing up with the kids, Australians can still enjoy Halloween without a big outlay.”
This ARA-Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australian-wide cross-section of 5,237 Australians aged 18+ on Monday September 29 – Friday October 3, 2026, including 877 who plan on celebrating Halloween.
About us: Australian Retail Council (ARC) represents a $444 billion sector that employs 1.4 million Australians across metropolitan, regional, and remote communities – making retail the largest private sector employer in the country and a significant contributor to the Australian economy. Our membership spans the full spectrum of Australian retail, from family-owned small and independent retailers that make up 95% of our membership, through to our largest national and international retailers that employ thousands of Australians and support both metropolitan and regional communities every day.
