Key facts
- Halloween candy and merchandise are appearing on retail shelves earlier, a trend known as 'Summerween'.
- Candy corn purchases, seen as a marker for the start of fall, are up substantially, with 17% made before Labor Day.
- Hershey and Mars have reported strong early sales for their Halloween products.
- Retailers like Costco and Home Depot are offering Halloween decorations and items in early July and June.
- The trend is influenced by consumer demand and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.
The 'Summerween' trend, where Halloween-themed products appear on shelves months before the holiday, is gaining momentum as candy brands and retailers push seasonal items earlier in the year. This phenomenon, which may have roots in a 2012 episode of 'Gravity Falls,' has seen retailers like Michael's, T.J. Maxx, and Walmart introduce Halloween decor and merchandise well before the traditional fall season.
Candy companies are now fully embracing this extended shopping occasion. Matthew Escalante, vice president of Brach's and seasonal candies at Ferrara, noted that candy corn purchases, often seen as the start of fall, are significantly increasing before Labor Day, with 17% of sales occurring before the holiday. He stated that Brach's sales are up substantially compared to the previous year due to earlier product availability. Hershey's CEO Kirk Tanner also reported a strong start to their 'Summerween' sales, and the company is employing strategies like dividing the season into micro-segments to maintain consumer engagement.
Competitor Mars has also launched its Halloween offerings in July, marking a 100-day countdown to October 31, and describing Halloween as 'America's longest seasonal shopping occasion.' The trend extends beyond candy aisles, with warehouse clubs like Costco and Home Depot offering large Halloween decorations and popular items like the 'Boo Bucket' as early as July and June, respectively. Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino indicated that strong demand for their American Heritage products, which include Halloween items, necessitated pulling the holiday's launch forward.