For domestic trade, Halloween is a happy occasion in the current difficult economic situation, says Rainer Trefelik, chairman of the federal trade division at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ). The originally Irish custom came to Europe via the USA and appeals primarily to younger people in this country: 64 percent of those under 30 are planning a party this year.
According to KMU Research Austria, which surveyed more than 1,000 people on behalf of the Federal Trade Division, anyone shopping for Halloween spends an average of 40 euros. The amount is slightly higher than last year due to the price increases for cocoa.
19 percent say they want to spend more this year than last year, 69 percent plan to make purchases of the same amount, and twelve percent want to start saving. The expected total expenditure is between 65 and 70 million euros.
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The most common purchase is candy: 80 percent of those who shop for Halloween want to stock up on this. In second place are decorative pumpkins for crafts (37 percent), ahead of decorative items (35 percent). Costumes, make-up items, jewelry and accessories are also popular for Halloween.
“Halloween is important for local trade, but you have to leave the church in the village,” says Trefelik. In view of the currently very depressed purchasing mood, the festival is “unfortunately just a drop in the ocean”.
The trade association expects spending on Halloween to increase this year from 60 million euros last year to 75 million euros now. “Two out of three consumers are already buying products specifically for Halloween this year,” says trade association managing director Rainer Will.
According to a study, Upper Austrians and Salzburgers are particularly willing to spend this year with an average of 70 euros per capita, followed by those in Lower Austria and Burgenland (62 euros). At the bottom of the list are the southern federal states of Styria and Carinthia (51 euros) and the west of the country with Tyrol and Vorarlberg (47 euros).
