ST. LOUIS — Halloween is creeping up on most Americans this October and experts said costume shopping will reach pre-pandemic levels.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that consumer spending on Halloween-related items was expected to reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion, up from $8.05 billion in 2020.
Last year, plans to celebrate the scary holiday went up compared to last year and were close to pre-pandemic levels.
According to the NRF, spending on kids and adult costumes is expected to total $2.9 billion, the highest amount since 2017.
NRF said 40% of Halloween enthusiasts plan to purchase their items at discount stores, 36% will go to specialty Halloween or costume stores, and 31% will shop online.
The leading way that most people look for costumes is through online searches while others look in retail stories. Others get their ideas from friends and family.
Another way people come up with costume ideas is by checking out trends on social media including TikTok.
Here is a list of top Halloween costumes for children, adults, and pets this year according to NRF:
Children costumes:
- Spiderman
- Princess
- Witch
- Ghost
- Batman
- Pumpkin
- Zombie
- Vampire
- Pirate
- Superman
Adult costumes:
- Witch
- Vampire
- Ghost
- Pirate
- Cat/Batman*
- Zombie
- Spiderman
- Dracula
- Devil
- Princess
Pet costumes:
- Pumpkin
- Hotdog
- Bat
- Bumblebee
- Witch
- Lion
- Spider
- Ghost/Cat*
- Superdog/Supercat*
- Devil/Dog*
*Costumes tied for ranking.
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