Fangs & bangs: an autumn sales boost

With all the spooky sweeties and devilish delights listed over the next couple of pages, it's clear to see that Halloween now has its fangs firmly into the UK.

In fact, according to AC Nielsen, the market for Halloween-branded confectionery has grown by 50% in the past five years, making it the third largest seasonal opportunity for c-store retailers after Christmas and Easter.

As Hancocks purchasing director Jonathan Summerley says, there are three quite distinct purchasing groups for retailers to cater for.

"During Halloween you see adults purchasing confectionery for the inevitable trick or treaters; adults buying items for a children's Halloween party; and, of course, children buying spooky and fun pocket-money items," he says.

Retailers with a few spare minutes could make a mint by making up budget trick or treat bags, while shoppers seeking branded bags should be thrilled by the raft of ghoulish goodies launched by the manufacturers this year. Haribo offers scary ready-made foam and jelly sweet mixes including a Horror Mix, Magic Mix and Trick or Treat Mini Mix, and the range will also benefit from a significant TV campaign with a 'Tangfastics' tagline.

"Our range includes sharing bags that are great for Halloween parties and big value Halloween-themed multi-bags," says Haribo marketing manager Katy Clark.

Cadbury also plans to bring fresh blood to c-stores' novelty chocolate offer with new Dead Heads packets of mini milk chocolate heads filled with blood red caramel. And McVitie's Cake Company, part of United Biscuits UK, is launching two seasonal limited-edition variants, McVitie's Jaffa Cakes lemon and slime cake bars and Jaffa Cakes spooky mini rolls.

But one of the best things about Halloween, after the significant sales opportunity that it represents, is that any nightmares about over-stocking can be firmly banished.

The beauty of Halloween, says Swizzels Matlow communications director Andrew Matlow, is that it "comes about a week before Bonfire Night and so any left-over stock can be sold on over the firework period, which brings with it another explosive sales opportunity."

Helen Ashton, marketing manager at Standard and Blackcat Fireworks, thinks the season can be lucrative for the trade. "Fireworks are potentially a really good earner for independent retailers as the margin is far higher than the usual smaller items sold, such as crisps and cigarettes," she says.

Despite the credit crunch and the lure of big organised displays, around 10 million people still get together each year to enjoy fireworks in their own gardens, says Ashton, who also claims that sales were unaffected by the 2009 downturn.

However, it will be important for retailers to get their prices right in 2010. Ashton anticipates that value for money will still be key for consumers, with the £10 and £20 price points of particular interest. To inspire trade-up among shoppers she tips the trend for new single-ignition fireworks, in which multiple fireworks are triggered by one ignition process.

To help retailers boost profits, Hancocks is offering a bogof deal across its whole firework range. Summerley maintains that this extra buying power, plus their knowledge of local trends, means that c-store retailers really can get more bangs for their bucks