Food and drink brands dig deep to reimagine Halloween 2025

As Halloween 2025 approaches, food and drink manufacturers are pulling out all the stops to enchant shoppers with inventive seasonal offerings — despite signs of cautious consumer spending.

According to research from Vypr, while 61% of UK consumers plan to spend the same as last year, nearly a third (31%) intend to cut back, particularly on traditional sweets. Yet brands are responding with creativity, convenience, and cross-category innovation to keep the spooky spirit alive, and profitable.

Sweet snacks get a seasonal makeover

Whaoo! has transformed its award-winning Chocolate Filled Crêpes into Halloween-ready treats with themed packaging and individually wrapped formats, ideal for lunchboxes and party bags. “We wanted to create something that brings a little extra magic to Halloween,” said Jean-Pascal Allemand, managing director at Whaoo!, highlighting the brand’s focus on fun and convenience.

Swizzels, the UK’s leading supplier of variety bags, is doubling down on impulse sales with brightly packaged assortments like Monster Treats and Mummy Mix. Despite HFSS volume promotion restrictions, Swizzels is banking on its individually wrapped formats and all-year-round appeal to drive seasonal success.

Clare Newton, trade and shopper marketing manager, noted: “Our variety bags are an absolute staple at this time of year…perfect for sharing and ideal for trick-or-treating.”

Bebeto, meanwhile, has expanded its Halloween range with four new product — Witches Cauldron, Mummies Bandages, Witches Hair, and Spooky Mix Multi Pack—building on a 210% growth surge in 2024.

The brand’s strategy aligns with Vypr’s findings that 51% of shoppers are seeking Halloween-themed savoury snacks, cakes, and soft drinks as alternatives to traditional sweets.

Biscuits, cakes and doughnuts join the fright fest

Fox’s Burton’s Companies (FBC) is bringing biscuits into the Halloween fold with Party Rings ‘Trick or Treat’ Minis, featuring bat, cat, and pumpkin shapes. The launch builds on the success of its ‘Under the Sea’ Minis and reflects a broader trend toward playful innovation in non-confectionery categories.

McVitie’s is resurrecting its Jaffaween Cake Bars in Fang-Tastic Orange and Spine-Chilling Cherry, combining nostalgic flavours with seasonal flair. “These treats bring the perfect mix of fun and flavour to the season,” said James King, marketing director at pladis UK&I.

Krispy Kreme’s “Night of the Skremes” doughnut collection adds a theatrical twist to bakery aisles, with flavours like Pumpkin Spicemare and Cookies & Skreme. The brand is also inviting consumers to decorate their own doughnuts in-store, tapping into the late-season shopping window identified by Vypr, where 24% of consumers decorate homes just the day before Halloween.

Boozy branding and glow-in-the-dark gimmicks

Alcohol brands are also embracing Halloween’s theatricality.

19 Crimes has partnered with Universal Monsters to launch glow-in-the-dark wine bottles featuring Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and The Mummy — complete with AR experiences. Chantal McDowell, international marketing manager, said the collaboration “brings the world’s most infamous monsters into wine aisles.”

Cointreau is casting a spell over cocktail culture with hauntingly elegant serves like the Blood Orange & Beet Margarita and Pumpkin Spice Margarita, offering consumers a sophisticated way to celebrate.

Strongbow is leveraging its seasonal dominance with a “Spine-chilling Refreshment” campaign focused on Dark Fruit, supported by influencer activations and university campus sampling. With cider sales peaking during Halloween week, Strongbow aims to maintain its category-leading share.

Retailers still hold the power

Vypr’s research reveals that nearly half of consumers are influenced by what’s in-store when choosing Halloween themes, while only 27% follow social media trends like whimsigoth or pastel horror. This gives bricks-and-mortar retailers a clear advantage in shaping seasonal demand.

Ben Davies, Vypr’s founder, summed it up: “Bricks and mortar retailers should take confidence that they are getting their ranges right as consumers look to them for what is trending this season.”

In a year where sustainability has taken a backseat — 58% of consumers won’t pay more for eco-friendly costumes and 57% are uninterested in ethical sweet — brands are focusing on flavour, fun, and format to win hearts and baskets.