Weekend Parties the Big Trend this Halloween

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween is on a Friday this year – something that won't happen again until 2025 due to a Leap Year coming up in 2016. That means anticipation for weekend gatherings is already sending more shoppers hunting for decorations, candy and costumes than any Halloween in recent memory.

"This year is definitely the year of the party, so we're seeing an incredible increase of shoppers planning their trick-or-treating, haunted house visits and unforgettable celebrations," said Peter Whitsett, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer. "We know that more parents are decorating their homes and even dressing up with their kids, so we look forward to providing everything families need for their weekend festivities."

Meijer aggressively expanded its Halloween selection to help shoppers make the most of the holiday weekend, with expectations that more than half will decorate their home or yard, more than two-thirds of all celebrants will wear a costume and more than 54 million people will throw or attend parties. The average person will spend $77.52 this Halloween on indoor and outdoor décor, costumes and candy, compared to $75.03 last year. Total spending on Halloween will reach $7.4 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.

Top costume trends for this season include:

• Moms and dads: More than 30 percent of parents plan on dressing up this year. "Mommy and me" and family costume sets continue to grow in popularity, especially assorted critters, like Foxes, Kittens and Snow Leopards for moms and daughters, and Bacon and Hot Dog costumes for dads and boys.
• Boys: Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles and superhero muscle costumes are most popular. About 70 percent of all boys' costumes are licensed products.
• Girls: Monster High continues to be popular, but Anna and Elsa from Frozen will be top costume choices for girls and toddlers.
• Quick and easy costumes: Step-in or "bagged" costumes will provide customers with "no muss-no fuss" solutions this Halloween. Novelty costumes like Sharks, Bacon, Penguins, Bananas and Footballs are ever-popular for adults.
• Do-It-Yourself costumes: DIY has grown in popularity beyond the Meijer craft aisles. More and more adults are piecing together their Halloween costumes, which is why Meijer continues to offer wide assortment of wigs and individual costume accessories. Meijer sells more black nail polish and novelty make-up during Halloween than any other time throughout the year.

Whitsett said that Meijer is also seeing interest in pet costumes continue to rise and expects to sell more than 75,000 pet costumes this year. With more and more consumers treating their pets as members of the family, Meijer is hosting a Tricks for Treats Pet Photo Contest on its Facebook page. Upload a photo of your pet in a Halloween costume for a chance to win Pet Treats for a Year and appear on a gift card sold at Meijer.

For additional Halloween trends at Meijer, please see the Halloween Fact Sheet on the Meijer Newsroom.

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 213 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. As the inventor of the "one-stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, garden centers and electronics offerings. For more information on Meijer, please visit www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/meijer and @twitter.com/meijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

Contact: Joe Hirschmugl, 616-791-3943 [email protected]

SOURCE Meijer

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