Younger consumers are driving the surge in visits to bars, pubs, and nightclubs for spooky celebrations. Accordingly, it is an essential time for drinks suppliers and venue operators to capitalise on growing demand for this annual fright fest.
Spirits have emerged as the standout category during the Halloween period, with a notable Rate of Sale (RoS) uplift of +28.7% on the day itself. This growth is largely stimulated by younger drinkers who are increasingly choosing spirits over categories such as LAD and wine.
In terms of specific spirit sub-category choices, Halloween is a particularly key sales opportunity for vodka (+71% uplift) and tequila (+51.6% uplift), which show the highest performance boosts on Halloween (vs the average Tuesday).
Furthermore, younger drinkers, particularly 18–34-year-olds, are going out at higher rates than the average consumer, with a third (32%) of 25-34-year-olds and a quarter (25%) of 18-24-year-olds participating in Halloween festivities. They also tend to spend more, offering significant trade-up opportunities for On Premise industry stakeholders.
High-tempo occasions over-index among these younger partygoers (37%), choosing to go out to nightclubs, pubs, and bars. For this reason, venues offering strong theming, a playful atmosphere, and an appealing value proposition are most attractive to this key demographic.
Drinks promotions are an especially influential factor for attracting these Halloween consumers, over-indexing by +19.1pp compared to the average consumer. Similarly, music (+17.7pp) and a wide range of drinks (+17.9pp) also play vital roles in swaying venue choice during this period.
While Halloween itself sees the largest RoS uplift in October, venue operators should also extend their marketing and activations to the weekend before Halloween. This is when many consumers head out for early celebrations, presenting an ideal window for drinks promotions and activities to capture increased footfall.
Violetta Njunina, Client Director – GB Drinks said: “‘Halloween is one of the key dates for the On Premise market, particularly for spirit sales including Halloween-themed cocktails. With younger consumers flocking to nightclubs, bars, and pubs, drinks suppliers and venue operators who effectively leverage drinks promotions and atmosphere will reap the most gratifying returns. But planning activations early, for the date itself and for the weekend before Halloween, is key to tapping into this expanding opportunity.'”
CGA by NIQ’s Key Dates Analysis, which is driven by Advanced Analytics services, unlocks crucial data and insights for On Premise occasions and events, allowing you to understand sales performance and get ahead of the curve to plan your On Premise event calendar around the most important dates. For more information, get in touch with Violetta.Njunina@nielseniq.com.
Source: GB OPUS 2024, CGA Managed EPOS Daily Data
