3 On Your Side: Halloween Costumes & Spending
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Halloween seems like fun and games, but for retailers, it's serious business. Billions will be spent on candy, costumes and more.
Uncertainty in the economy may be spooking Americans into curbing this fall's ghoulish celebrations. A survey from the National Retail Federation finds households expect to spend less on Halloween this year than they did last year -- just over $75, down from $79.82 in 2012.
Total spending on the holiday is expected to reach $6.9 billion, down from $8 billion last year. Nearly $2.1 billion will be spent on candy and almost $2 billion on spooky home decor.
Two-point-six billion will be spent on costumes: $1.2 billion on adult costumes, just over $1 billion on children's costumes and $330 million on costumes for their pets. So, what are the most popular costumes for 2013? According to the National Retail Federation, they are:
Top Adult Costumes:
1. Witch
2. Batman character
3. Vampire
4. Zombie
5. Pirate
6. Action/super hero
7. Superman
8. Dracula
9. Cat
10. Scary costume/mask
Top Children's Costumes:
1. Princess
2. Animal
3. Batman character
4. Action/super hero
5. Spider-Man
6. Witch
7. Zombie
8. Disney princess
9. Superman
10. Fairy
Top Pet Costumes:
1. Pumpkin
2. Hot dog
3. (T) Cat, Devil
4. Witch
5. Superman
6. Dog
7. Bowties/fancy collar
8. Bee
9. (T) Batman, Vampire
10. Ghost
