Retailers in Germany expect Halloween sales to come in at around €540 million this year, as the number of consumers increasing their spend on the spooky festival continues to increase.
A study commissioned by Handelsverband Deutschland (HDE), the German retail association, found that more than 15% of Germans are planning to spend specifically on Halloween in 2024, up from 13.5% last year.
As a result, retailers are expecting a sharp rise in sales, with projections reaching €540 million this year, a 12.5% increase from €480 million in 2023.
‘Important sales stimulus’
“Halloween is still growing in popularity. The festival is becoming an increasingly important sales stimulus for retailers,” commented HDE general manager Stefan Genth.
German consumers are increasing their purchasing in categories such as accessories, makeup, decorations, and costumes, especially for theme parties. The data comes from a population-representative survey of about 1,200 respondents conducted by IFH Cologne for the HDE. Read more here.
The value of cash
Earlier this week, the HDE released the findings of a survey that found that the majority of German consumers are in favour of retaining cash as a payment option.
HDE teamed up with Appinio on the survey of 1,000 people, which followed on from increasing numbers of bank closures nationwide.
Key findings from the survey indicate that 60% of respondents are in favour of keeping cash as a key payment option. When it comes to shopping preferences, 42% of consumers prefer to pay with cash, while 27% opt for contactless card payments. Additionally, 16% of respondents use contactless payments via smartphones, smartwatches, or mobile payment apps, and 15% still prefer card payments with PIN entry.
“Although the trend is towards cashless payments, cash remains an important and popular means of payment. However, if more and more bank branches continue to close, the cash cycle threatens to collapse,” commented HDE’s Stefan Genth. Find out more here.
