Halloween 2015: Sainsbury’s to sell over 1 million pumpkins

HALLOWEEN celebrations on October 31 are expected to be the biggest ever for Britain’s retailer Sainsbury’s.

According to analyst research, Britain expects almost two-thirds of people to celebrate Halloween. Friday’s event has grown more popular in the UK due to influences of American films and sitcoms. Customers spend more on Halloween than Bonfire Night and Valentine’s Day, it has become the third biggest celebrated event after Christmas and Easter.

The supermarket also stocked up on inflatable wings and zombie costumes as the number of adults and children choosing to dress up keeps on growing. According to research, the supermarket chain expects an estimated worth of  £148 million (€206.15 million) in Halloween costume and clothing sales alone.

Sainsbury’s estimates sales of over 1 million pumpkins in the week running up to the event and expects its customers to purchase about 1.5 million pumpkins in total.

The UK grows an estimated 10 million pumpkins every year, 95 per cent which are carved into jack-o’-lanterns and the remaining 5 per cent are used to make soups, stews, and pies and occasionally they are roasted. As the annual festival gets more popular, demands from retailers also rise.

UK Whole Foods Market stores have stocked more than 20 pumpkin-oriented treats, from pumpkin dark chocolate to BrewDog’s Pumpkin King Beer and pumpkin pie mix.