Kids may have to settle for a meager harvest of candy this year on Halloween, according to research from the Retail Council of Canada reported by Global News.
Although 86% of people plan to spend the same or more money on Halloween than last year, this will not necessarily translate to fuller bags of candy on the evening of October 31st.
Nevertheless, those responsible for the study believe that some consumers could change their minds due to inflation, buying less candy than expected or even keeping their doors and exterior lights closed on Christmas evening. ‘Halloween.
Second, those who spend the same or more than they did last year on their candy could still find themselves with less candy to hand out due to “reduflation,” which is selling a product for the same price, but reducing its volume. .
Basically, the containers of candy sold in stores could remain at the same price, but have fewer candies inside.
Due to the pandemic, the streets have been less busy over the past two Halloweens. An increase in the number of children carrying out the traditional candy picking is therefore foreseeable this year, which could translate into a shortage of treats on the shelves.
Some citizens might also run out of candy more quickly, forcing them to close their doors early. It is therefore to be expected that the more children come up against closed doors, the more the evening will progress.
“The hardest part for suppliers is always predicting demand, but it’s especially difficult right now because every season consumers are acting in new ways as they try to navigate the pandemic.” , says retail analyst Bruce Winder.
“I believe there might be a shortage of goods. Retailers will be hard pressed to have the necessary inventory, so there probably won’t be as many discounted treats on Nov. 1,” says Queen’s University Smith School of Business associate professor Tandy Thomas. .
The Retail Council of Canada recommends consumers buy their candy earlier this year.