Spooky sales

Although we are only in July, manufacturers are already launching new products for Halloween. In the past week alone, Jelly Bean Factory, Kraft Foods and Swizzels Matlow have announced their plans for the third biggest retail event of the year.

Seasonal sales make up a large proportion of a manufacturer’s yearly income. To help boost sales during seasonal periods, Kraft Foods  is launching a package of responsible retailing advice with the sole aim of helping retailers manage seasons more effectively and efficiently. With Seasons Made Simple Kraft Foods is urging retailers to plan in advance for each occasion and focus on best sellers in order to make the most of the overall seasonal sales.

Amy Beresford, brand manager, Halloween at Kraft Foods, comments, “Halloween represents a great opportunity for retailers to really have some fun in-store with spooky decorations and dedicated displays really helping encourage shoppers to buy into the season.”

Sarah Louise Heslop, marketing manager at Swizzels Matlow, says, “Halloween is an important occasion for driving incremental sales for us. In the last few years the spooky season is being celebrated more-and-more and is now worth £55 million. This has increased by 10% from 2011.

Manufacturers and retailers need to take advantage of such a huge opportunity to boost profits. Popular products will be those marketed specifically for Halloween, eg those with orange and black packaging, including  images of witches, cobwebs and spiders.

Another marketing tactic which will prove popular are Halloween themed flavours. Jelly Bean Factory has taken advantage of this ploy by introducing unique flavours such as midnight liquorice, tangerine terror, ghostly grape, peachy screech and beastly blackberry.