THE CZECHS HAVE FALLEN FOR HALLOWEEN. THE FESTIVAL IS NOW HOT ON THE HEELS OF ST NICHOLAS’ DAY, RETAILERS REPORT

This year, Czechs have been buying more Halloween costumes, decorations and sweets. Sales of certain items have risen significantly year-on-year.

The popularity of Halloween in the Czech Republic is growing year on year. Interest in this Anglo-Saxon festival, which is celebrated on 31 October and during which both children and adults dress up in various costumes, has also been confirmed by some retailers.

For example, the online marketplace Allegro.cz recorded a threefold increase in the value of sales of women’s costumes this year compared with last year, and an almost twofold increase for men’s costumes. On average, customers spent 318 crowns on costumes in the first twelve days of October. The most popular choices were traditional Halloween themes such as witches, skeletons and vampires, whilst younger children favoured fairy-tale characters or costumes inspired by specific professions.

The value of sales of decorations and themed accessories rose by approximately three-quarters year-on-year. Interest in disposable tableware also increased, with sales more than doubling, Allegro reports in a press release.

At the online supermarket Košík.cz, interest in Halloween decorations has risen by 170 per cent year-on-year. According to company spokesperson František Brož, customers are increasingly looking for decorations for the interior, as well as for the garden and the area around the house. At the same time, the range of Halloween products and items that customers associate with the festival is gradually expanding.

Interest in pumpkins has risen by 38 per cent year-on-year. “Their peak season is generally October, during which we deliver more than a third of all the pumpkins sold throughout the year to customers. The Hokkaido pumpkin leads by a wide margin, accounting for more than half of sales. In second place is the classic Halloween pumpkin, intended primarily for carving. This year we’re selling 40 per cent more of these than last year, with 98 per cent of its annual sales taking place in October. And kitchen tools such as pumpkin scoops are also selling alongside them,” explained Brož.

Ondřej Obergruber from the Rohlík.cz PR team sees the biggest growth in Halloween sweets. Sales this year are 30 per cent higher than last year. Sales of Halloween toys, decorations and costumes have risen by 15 per cent. Rohlík has also recorded the same increase in its All Souls’ Day range, such as graveyard candles and wreaths.

Compared to Halloween, however, All Souls’ Day – which falls on 2 November – is much more stable in terms of shopping behaviour.

“Customers mainly buy graveyard candles and lanterns in the run-up to the festival. This year, we expect sales of these items to be approximately 300 per cent higher than in a typical week. The best-selling items are the cheaper candles, which start at around 12 crowns each in our shop. However, interest is also growing in more expensive options, such as grave lanterns,” said Brož.

Halloween is slowly catching up with St Nicholas Day in terms of turnover, and according to Brož, it is possible that next year sales of Halloween goods will already surpass those of St Nicholas Day. This is because, in addition to sweets, customers are also buying more expensive items, such as decorations, Halloween costumes and other accessories, meaning they spend more than they do at St Nicholas’ Day, when they mainly buy food.

Source: seznamzpravy.cz