Over the Halloween season, we surveyed over 100 employees and gathered data on consumer habits in Halloween waste to better understand our audience and explore ways to reduce holiday-related waste.
From sweet consumption to pumpkin carving and decor disposal, these findings give us valuable insights into the environmental impact of Halloween activities.
In this blog, we’ll dig into the key statistics and trends that emerged from our survey, offering a clearer picture of current habits and where there’s room for more sustainable practices.
Table of Contents
- Halloween Sweets
- Pumpkin Carving and Disposal
- Decorating Habits
- Spending Trends by Age
- Halloween Decor Habits by Age
- Pumpkin Carving by Age
- Food Waste Post-Halloween
- Decoration Disposal Choices
Halloween Sweets
- A significant portion of the 25-34 age group opts out of buying Halloween sweets, with 47% reporting they skip sweet purchases, possibly due to low participation in trick-or-treating or other preferences. The 18-24 age group displayed a wider spending range, including spending over £20.
- On the waste front, 71% of respondents across all age groups report throwing away less than 10% of their Halloween sweets, suggesting strong planning and consumption trends.
Pumpkin Carving and Disposal
- Pumpkin carving is a staple, particularly among the 25-34 age group, where almost half of the respondents carve a pumpkin each year.
- For disposal, while some respondents compost their pumpkins, most still discard them in general waste, suggesting a need for greater awareness around sustainable disposal options for pumpkins. 20% of the 25-34 group were composting, a practice that can help reduce landfill waste if adopted more widely.
Decorating Habits
- Decoration habits show that the 25-34 age group will likely mix old and new decorations each year or avoid decorating entirely.
- Reuse is the primary method of disposal, with many storing decorations for future use, though some still dispose of decorations annually. Encouraging recycling and reuse can help cut down on this seasonal waste.
Spending Trends by Age
- Respondents in the 18-24 age group displayed diverse spending habits on sweets, with some spending over £20 while others stayed under £10. This variance may reflect a mix of Halloween traditions, with some actively participating in trick-or-treating while others opt out or keep spending minimal.
Halloween Decor Habits by Age
- The 25-34 age group showed the highest rate of not decorating at all, with over 54% choosing not to purchase decorations. This trend could indicate a growing awareness of single-use waste or a preference for minimalism.
- Reusing decorations is common, especially among the 35-44 group, with the majority of respondents in this category choosing to store items for future use. This suggests an awareness of waste reduction among middle-aged participants.
Pumpkin Carving by Age
- Pumpkin carving remains popular across age groups, especially among those under 45. However, the 45-54 age group shows a decline, with more than half of respondents opting out entirely. This could be due to changing family dynamics or a shift in interests.
Food Waste Post-Halloween
- Encouragingly, over 80% of respondents report little to no food waste after Halloween, suggesting good planning around food purchases and consumption. Most waste reported comes from pumpkins, emphasising the importance of promoting sustainable pumpkin disposal, like composting.
Decoration Disposal Choices
- Disposal methods varied, with younger age groups most likely to throw away decorations, while older groups leaned towards reuse or recycling. For example, 6% of the 18-24 group throw away decorations annually compared to 1-2% in older groups, indicating a potential focus area for education on sustainable practices among younger audiences.
Halloween traditions like pumpkin carving, decorating, and sweet sharing can come with a significant environmental footprint, but our data reveals encouraging trends toward waste reduction and sustainable choices.
With a growing number of people opting for reusable decorations, composting pumpkins, and planning sweet purchases to minimise waste, it’s clear that many are becoming more conscious of their impact.
By continuing to promote sustainable practices and raising awareness around disposal options, especially among younger audiences, we can all work towards a Halloween that’s festive and eco-friendly.
