Halloween presents a real opportunity for convenience retailers to drive sales – not only in confectionery, but in a variety of other categories as well, including cakes and biscuits, home baking and quick-and-tasty foods such as hot dogs and pizza.
The headline act, of course, is confectionery, and within this it is sharing bags and twist-wraps that are driving growth, says Dan Newell, fruit confectionery portfolio director at Mars Wrigley Confectionery. Sweets are in demand not only for trick-or-treating but also for general consumption at home on the evening itself – a sort of ‘big night in’ with a supernatural twist.
Consumer data from Perfetti Van Melle suggests there is a wide demographic looking to make purchases in the lead-up to Halloween. It found 71% of households without children bought seasonal products in 2017, which trade marketing manager Mark Roberts says suggests there is a clear market for grandparents buying sweets for their grandchildren or single couples buying confectionery for the “growing number” of trick-or-treaters in cities and suburban areas.
Trick or treat
Newell says: “Research has highlighted that the biggest ritual associated with Halloween is trick or treating, with 41% of consumers taking part.” He says many consumers over-buy a mixture of both chocolate and sugar confectionery in fun-size and sharing bag formats. To cater for this demand, Mars Wrigley Confectionery is bringing back 11x18g fun-size bags and 152g pouches of its Skittles Darkside Halloween variant this year.
Snack-sized packs of confectionery also perform particularly well in the run-up to Halloween, says Andrew Ovens, marketing manager at Big Bear Confectionery, with the pack format ideal for trick-or-treaters. Big Bear is launching a Poppets Snack Pack multi-pack this month (September), containing 10 individual 21g bags of Chewy Toffee and Mint Creams variants. Rival manufacturer Swizzels offers a duo of Trick or Sweet bags, each containing a selection of its most popular sweets, such as Double Lollies, Parma Violets, Refresher Bars, Love Hearts and the new Sour Apple Refreshers chew bar. The brand will be running a “Halloween Sorted” campaign across its website and social media channels. Clare Lynch, brand manager at Swizzels, says: “We are planning competitions, fun activities, recipes, trick or treat tips and more for Halloween.”
Ferrero is launching a new monster pack design for its Kinder Choco-Bons 200g bags, which the brand says are ideal for sharing with trick or treaters at Halloween. Levi Boorer, customer development director at Ferrero, says: “Last year, we saw a 68% uplift in sales during the key seasonal period, thanks to our Halloween-inspired packs. Returning for 2018, we have refreshed our monster-design bags to drive seasonal excitement and help retailers capitalise on the occasion.”
Staying in
Sharing formats are also a popular choice for those going to Halloween-themed parties or staying in to watch scary films, rather than going trick or treating. Newell says 31% of consumers watched a scary film at home last year across the Halloween period, which presents a huge opportunity for retailers to stock a range of sharing bag treats.
In 2017, he adds, consumers watching scary films helped to build excitement in the run-up to the event, with many families seeing it as an opportunity to treat themselves with chocolate and fruit confectionery. The company offers a range of “more to share” bags across its Minstrels, M&M’s, Skittles and Starburst brands. Newell says: “Our internal research shows not only can retailers increase consumer confectionery spending with Halloween-themed sharing bags and twist-wraps, but the event also helps to boost sales of confectionery overall as consumers look to stay in and celebrate the event with a spooky movie or party.”
Mark Walker, sales director at Swizzels, says variety bags and tubs are key categories for independent retailers when it comes to planning for Halloween, as they provide shoppers with the perfect sharing formats. Swizzels is launching a 420g Treat Time tub for 2018, featuring a selection of its brands in a “bright, modern and convenient format”.
Halloween displays
Confectionery is a highly impulsive category and this still holds true at Halloween. Therefore, it is vital that a themed display is in place to attract consumers and remind them to stock up for the event. Roberts says clever in-store theatre holds the key to capturing shoppers’ attention and Perfetti Van Melle’s Halloween packaging complements a fun, seasonal display. The company has added a Halloween-themed design to its core range, including Fruittella and Chupa Chups, and is bringing back its Juicy Chews and Duo Stix Halloween packs. It is also bringing back its £1 Mini Mix, which it says works perfectly for trick-or-treaters, because the sweets come individually wrapped.
Walker says in-store displays are vital in attracting the consumer to making that impulse purchase and these should be in place from early October. Halloween confectionery lines should be displayed at the front of the store and till-point, including products suitable for parties and sharing occasions. Strong in-store theatre and cross-category merchandising are integral to a successful Halloween.
Cakes and bakes
Amy Burgess, trade communications manager at Coca-Cola European Partners, says that for this year, the company is launching a Fanta Halloween Ghost Train display to “excite shoppers and help retailers build sales by reinforcing Fanta’s synonymy with the event”. Confectionery sales are not the only areas of growth during Halloween; there is a 29% uplift in value sales of cake decorations during this period, says Riccardo Panichi, head of marketing for cakes and desserts at Dr Oetker. He says: “A key target audience for Halloween is families, as parents bake with their children for parties, bake sales or even trick-or-treaters. Therefore, the fixture should be bright and fun to appeal to these shoppers. The most popular seasonal themes in baking include ghosts, mummies, blood, brains, witches, pumpkins and monsters, with brightly coloured and gory decorations.
“This year we expect to see novelty 3D creations made out of icing and marzipan, spooky themed cake pops, biscuits and crispy cakes. Seasonal flavours and also key – for example, toffee, apple, cinnamon and pumpkin are being used frequently during autumnal baking. With more and more consumers finding reasons to bake for Halloween, retailers should ensure their home baking fixture features everything customers need to create cakes at home.”
Steve Kelly, channel director at Premier Foods, says Halloween is the third-biggest season at Premier Foods, which last year saw a 33% increase in sales of its Cadbury Cakes range over the period. This year, the brand will be bringing back its Mr Kipling Fiendish Fancies and Terrifying Toffee Whirls, as well as launching a Cadbury Pumpkin Patch Gateau.
Bonfire night
Kelly also says a great way to get more value out of the Halloween period is for retailers to look at stocking Bonfire Night related products as well. Premier will be launching Mr Kipling Toffee Apple Slices and Chocolate & Marshmallow slices, which the company says are ideal for young families at bonfire parties.
This time of year is not just about sales of novelties and sweets for trick-or-treaters, says Jeremy Gilboy, managing director at baker Carrs Foods, but it also offers retailers a way to boost sales of burger buns and hot dog rolls as family and friends gather to celebrate with firework displays. Carrs Foods is advising independent retailers to stock up on products that sell well at this time of year, including its Baker Street Burger Buns (£1.39), Jumbo Hot Dog Rolls (£1.69), as well as St Pierre Brioche Baguettes (£2).
