Rise to the occasion with a stateside take on top year-end trends

What can we learn from the US on year-end occasions?

To Brits it’s Autumn, and for Americans it’s Fall – but whatever you call it, the year-end period is packed with sales opportunities that start with Halloween, segue into Thanksgiving and Christmas and extend through to New Year. It needs to be a slick operation to maximise sales. It’s predicted that US consumers spent a record $13.1bn on 2025’s Halloween celebrations – that’s an increase of almost 13% from 2024’s figures, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

This uplift is an example of how Americans go big on celebrations – which means big profits for retailers. So, what can their UK counterparts do to attract US-style returns from 2025’s remaining occasions?

Stock up early   

As excitement grows for big calendar dates, retailers need to stock up early on treats and traditional seasonal foods. This August the National Confectioners Association (NCA) in the US polled 1,000 Americans on their confectionery habits. One spooky discovery was that 83% of adults owned up to sneaking Halloween treats from their own kids, embracing the wickedness of the season.

Stats also show that American shoppers like to stock up early and will start shopping for Halloween from September onwards. Retailers need to be well prepared and ready to both stock and restock before the big day thereby embracing the fact that year-end occasions offer the chance to sell for longer on a swift-moving conveyor belt.

Sharing and caring

Sharing is another key occasion trend that resonates in both the UK and the US. The NCA estimates that 94% of consumers share chocolate and sweets with friends and family at Halloween. It’s a similar story for Thanksgiving and Christmas when people come together to enjoy Winter’s special days. This means shoppers are increasingly looking for sharing bags over single-serve products. Variety packs also let shoppers trial new snacks or treats – while ‘secret’ or limited-edition flavours add excitement and showcase brands’ creativity.

Responsibility is another key trend. While Halloween in the US used to be a free-for-all as far as kids knocking on doors went – now there are strict rules: no pumpkin or lit porch light means don’t knock. The same spirit of responsibility extends to brands, with parents expecting sensible sugar levels in treats and no-sugar options alongside credible allergen information.

Treating pets as consumers

Nowadays, it’s also important to realise that big shopping occasions aren’t confined to humans. For example, families who wanted to include their pets in US Halloween festivities found a growing number of brands were introducing pet treats, complete with scary packaging to meet a need that no one previously saw was there.

Yet figures from the American Pet Products Association show the scale of potential demand. Some 94 million US households own at least one pet, of which 51% (68 million) own a dog. In fact, treats are now specifically devised for dogs, avoiding dangerous ingredients like chocolate. Some US brands have even launched an all-in-one pack that twins treat options, split between humans and canines.

A quick seasonal switch-up

As soon as Halloween ends, the last witch’s cackle has been heard and sweets eaten, US retailers have to quick-change to Thanksgiving. In fact, as some UK independents have found, American expats will also seek out the key foods to celebrate Thanksgiving – canned pumpkin is one prized item. The top six pumpkin-producing states harvest more than 1.2 billion pounds of pumpkins combined. Illinois is the leading pumpkin-producing state, yielding around 690 million pounds, easily more than the other five states combined. Pennsylvania produces about 90 million pounds and Michigan 80 million pounds. 

Meanwhile, in the UK, after the cobwebs have cleared, it’s time to stock up for Christmas. Speed is essential. Nothing looks older than Halloween stock hanging around after November 1. In the US, Christmas seasonal candy goes big on red and white striped candy canes and peppermint bark, with the former cunningly doubling as Christmas tree or gift package decorations. In fact, candy canes are the number one selling non-chocolate candy at Christmas with an estimated 1.7 billion sold every year – with 90% of those sold in the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Whatever occasion is on your radar, sourcing new products to attract consumers is the key to seasonal sales. Especially at the end of the year when shoppers are more likely to trade up and try something new.