Halloween hit to hip pocket nears forecast $500 million

Aussies are getting in the spirit of Halloween by spending big on decorations and costumes. (Esther Linder/AAP PHOTOS)

Australia's love for the spooky season continues to grow, with more than 5.3 million Australians estimated to celebrate Halloween. 

Across the nation, sales of Halloween-themed merchandise such as decorations and tableware are up 25 per cent from 2022, a consistent trend over five years.

Overall spending on Halloween including food and costumes has increased 14 per cent since 2022, with retail spending data forecasting $490 million will be spent on the spooky occasion observed on Tuesday.

Roy Morgan and the Australian Retailers Association conducted the survey of 3633 people aged over 18, which found 40 per cent of people aged 35-49 were making plans for Halloween. 

"Halloween is now a global phenomenon and is increasingly becoming a cherished Aussie tradition," association chief executive Paul Zahra said.

Supermarkets are set to sell almost one million kilograms of pumpkins as part of the decorating craze. 

Halloween costumes, trick-or-treating, purchasing chocolate and sweets and decorating the home are the most popular activities. 

The spending predications come amid cost-of-living pressures and the prospect of an interest rate rise by the Reserve Bank next Tuesday.

Despite those factors, Australians are expected to spend an average $93 on Halloween in 2023, an increase of $7 from 2022. 

And while it might all seem like a bit of spooky fun, people are being warned there could be hazards for birdlife. 

Several local Sydney councils have called for increased awareness of the environmental cost of some Halloween decorations, such as synthetic spider webs. 

The webs used to decorate front yards and complement pumpkins and skeletons can trap birds. The material can also be toxic when ingested.