Pet brands and retailers tap into the Halloween spending spree

American pet owners are expected to spend $920 million (€789M) on pet costumes for Halloween this year, up from $860 million (€738 million) in 2025. This is according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) survey that polled 7,889 consumers between 1 and 9 September.

By comparison, spending on adult Halloween costumes is projected to reach $2 billion (€1.7B), while children’s costumes are expected to account for $1.5 billion (€1.3B).

Handing out candy is the most popular planned Halloween activity, cited by 61% of respondents. Dressing in costume ranks second at 50%, followed by decorating homes or yards, carving pumpkins and watching scary movies, each cited by 42% of respondents.

For pets, the most popular Halloween costumes are pumpkins (11.6%), hot dogs (5.9%) and ghosts (2.8%). Bats, bees and spiders tie for fourth place, followed by cats in fifth and superheroes in sixth. Batman and dogs share seventh place, while witches rank eighth. Lions and vampires tie for ninth place, and Chucky, devils, dragons and Scooby-Doo share 10th place.

Activity across the US

A Google Trends analysis by dog daycare and boarding franchise Camp Bow Wow found that hot dogs are the most-searched dog costumes for Halloween in the US this year.

Rounding out the top 10 most-searched dog costumes are chicken, shark, spider, princess, ghost, dinosaur, pumpkin, dragon and lion. Interest in dog Halloween costumes is particularly high in certain parts of the country. Wyoming ranked highest for search interest in dog Halloween costumes, followed by New Hampshire, Utah, California and Colorado.

In the Midwest, a separate survey by retailer Meijer found that one in three Midwesterners (33%) plan to dress up their pets for Halloween this year. The survey polled 1,003 people across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin between 24 and 26 August.

Consumer behavior

Consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that 31% of US consumers planned to start shopping for the holiday before September, based on its US Consumer Poll on Halloween, which surveyed 2,028 US adults between 21 and 26 August.

It also found that 86% of consumers plan to celebrate Halloween this October, up from 78% in 2025. The figure rises to 93% among Gen Z. Average spending is projected to reach $263 (€226) per consumer celebrating Halloween, down from $289 (€248) last year, while millennials plan to spend an average of $368 (€316).

Friends and family remain the main influence on Halloween purchases, cited by 45% of adults. However, younger consumers increasingly turn to social media for inspiration, with 43% of Gen Z and 30% of millennials saying it shapes their Halloween plans, from costume choices to party themes.

Use of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming another source of inspiration. Nearly half of AI users are turning to the technology for costume ideas, while at least a third use it to compare deals, find recipes or plan decorations and parties.

Popular prompts involve redesigning a living room for Halloween, planning an alcohol-free party on a $200 (€172) budget and turning a cardboard box into a pet costume. Meanwhile, 25% of consumers plan to make their own costumes for themselves or their pets, compared with 30% who intend to buy ready-made options.

Agentic commerce is gaining traction this season. Almost 1 in 5 (19%) Gen Z AI users say they are going beyond product discovery by allowing AI to automate and schedule their Halloween purchases.

How businesses capitalize on Halloween

Pet brands and retailers are using Halloween-themed events, products and promotions to encourage owners to include their pets in the celebrations.

US specialty retailer PetSmart has organized in-store events including Tricks for Treats on 17 and 25 October and Meet the Spooky Pets on 18 October, featuring exotic animals such as snakes and spiders. 

Meanwhile, farm and home retailer Rural King has scheduled Pet-O-Ween, a free in-store costume contest for pets and livestock, on 24 October at participating stores.

Retailers are expanding their seasonal offerings, too. PetSmart Canada has launched its 2026 Thrills & Chills collection, featuring costumes, toys, treats and accessories for dogs, cats, reptiles and small pets.

In the UK, Pets at Home has introduced a Halloween range of costumes, bedding, toys and treats for dogs and cats. Aldi is offering several seasonal products, including pet costumes in Dracula, Pumpkin and Witch designs, Halloween cat scratching houses, and dog toys with options such as a ghost, skeleton, balls and a bat.

Brands are also targeting the seasonal market with specialist products. California-based Joyride Dogs launched a Halloween collection featuring glow-in-the-dark leashes and harnesses. UK-based pet food maker Paleo Ridge introduced a limited-edition Essentials Halloween recipe combining duck, beef, vegetables and pumpkin seeds in seasonal packaging.

In addition, Purina’s Beggin’ dog treat brand released three limited-edition Halloween treats made with bacon.