Costumes account for the biggest area of Halloween purchases according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. Spending on kids’ and adult costumes is expected to total $2.9 billion, the highest amount since 2017. Pet spending is expected to exceed last year’s record high, reaching $710 million.

Similar to recent years, Halloween enthusiasts will once again start their shopping early, with nearly half (47%) beginning in September or earlier. Forty percent plan to purchase their items at discount stores, 36% will go to specialty Halloween or costume stores and 31% will shop online.

The leading source of Halloween costume inspiration remains from online searches (36%), while one-quarter say they will look within retail stores and 19% will get ideas from friends and family.

“Social media is playing an increasingly important role in consumer behavior, and Halloween is no different,” Prosper Insights Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “Younger consumers, particularly those under the age of 25, will look to platforms like Instagram and TikTok for costume inspiration this year.”

Top Costumes for 2022

Costumes Ranked: Children 

More than 2.2 million children plan to dress as Spiderman, more than 1.9 million as their favorite princess, more than 1.6 million as a witch, and more than 1.3 million will dress as a ghost. Batman and other superheroes are tied for fifth most popular costume, with 1.2 million children each planning to dress in character.

Costumes Ranked: Adults

Of those planning to dress up for Halloween, 70% of adults already know what their costume will be this year. More than 5.3 million adults plan to dress like a witch, more than 1.7 million as a vampire, more than 1.5 million as a ghost and more than 1.4 million as a pirate. And tied for fifth place, more than 1.2 million adults are planning a cat costume and another 1.2 million say they will dress up as Batman.

Costumes Ranked: Pets

The most popular costumes for pet lovers include a pumpkin (9%), a hot dog (5%), a bat (4%), a bumblebee (3%) and a witch (3%).

The survey asked 8,283 consumers about Halloween shopping plans. It was conducted September 1-6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.

About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com

About Prosper Insights & Analytics
Prosper Insights & Analytics is a global leader in consumer intent data serving the financial services, marketing technology, and retail industries. We provide global authoritative market information on U.S. and China consumers via curated insights and analytics. By integrating a variety of data including economic, behavioral and attitudinal data, Prosper helps companies accurately predict consumers’ future behavior to help identify market behaviors, optimize marketing efforts, and improve the effectiveness of demand generation campaigns. www.ProsperInsights.com