FEATURE
HALLOWEEN & BONFIRE
104 ASIAN TRADER 17 OCTOBER 2025
competitor.”
Nuts are naturally packed
with protein and fibre, deliver
ing on both taste and health
credentials, and have therefore
been excluded from HFSS
legislation. Nuts are a higher
value purchase compared to
other CSN products, where
consumers are willing to spend
more, helping to drive basket
spend for retailers.
Graham continues,
“As the UK’s number
one ridged crisp brand,
McCoy’s is perfect for
any autumn gathering.
“For shoppers looking
to fire up the season’s
special occasions, the
brand’s latest offering,
McCoy’s Hot & Spicy,
delivers the perfect blend of heat
and seasoning, making it ideal
for adding excitement to
Halloween gatherings and
Bonfire Night celebrations.”
The importance of the
popcorn category shouldn’t be
underestimated within the
sharing occasion. Perfect for cosy
family nights spent watching
films or casual family get-togeth
ers, Butterkist remains the
nation’s favourite popcorn
brand.
When stocking up for these
Big Night In occasions, healthier
sharing options should not be
ignored.
“With under 100 calories per
serving and a third less fat than
the market leader, popchips
offers a more permissible
snacking option without
sacrificing bold flavour.
“Tyrrells brings quality to
Halloween and Bonfire Night
occasions with its range of
hand-cooked crisps. Created
using premium ingredients,
Tyrrells offers an elevated
sharing experience that
transforms ordinary gatherings
into memorable moments,
perfect for hosting during the
autumn season,” Graham says.
Halloween and Bonfire Night
have increasingly become
stay-at-home occasions, with a
focus on gatherings and family
celebrations.
Tash Jones, Commercial
Director at Fairfields
Farm, agrees, “This shift is
driving demand for
snackable and easy-to-
serve food. Crisps play a
key role here, with larger
sharing bags proving
popular for parties,
movie nights, and
Bonfire Night events at home.
Our 150g sharing bags are ideal
for this, offering bold and
comforting flavours.”
There is also a continued rise
in demand for free-from options,
so it’s important to offer
gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan
alternatives, like Fairfields Farm
crisps, which are completely
allergen-free.
Jones adds, “Consumers are
also actively seeking fun and
festive products, particularly
themed or limited-edition items.
“Our newly launched Honey
Roasted Chestnut & Sage flavour
crisps, released in September, is a
comforting, seasonal variety
that’s perfect for Halloween and
Bonfire Night occasions.”
Halloween and Bonfire
Night add up to a
fortnight-long sales
window for party
favourites like St Pierre’s
market-leading Brioche
Buns, Brioche Hot Dog
Rolls and Seeded
Brioche Burger Buns.
Rachel Wells,
Commercial Director at
St Pierre Groupe comments on
behalf of the St Pierre brand:
“Our Brioche range has experi
enced a sales uplift in conveni
ence around this time every year
for the last three years, and we
are confident of strong sales
once again in 2025.
In the current climate,
another trend affecting purchas
es for celebrations like these is
the wish to reduce wastage.
With the Halloween and Bonfire
Night season spanning two
weekends, St Pierre’s range
safeguards shoppers from watch
ing unused food going to waste
in between times.
“The St Pierre Brioche Buns
(six-pack), St Pierre Brioche Hot
Dog Rolls and St Pierre Seeded
Brioche Burger Buns (four-pack)
are performing incredibly well,
all pre-sliced for convenience
and benefiting from an extended
shelf life, to help consumers
reduce in and out of home
wastage,” Wells says.
Bubbles and
booze
As for drinks, Halloween
has become an increas
ingly important date on
the refreshments
calendar – soft and hard
alike.
Soft drinks spike
because of family parties and
teen gatherings where parents
prefer non-alcoholic choices.
Orange, berry, apple and
blood-red variants practically
sell themselves. Energy drinks,
too, benefit from the late-night
buzz, especially in student-
heavy areas.
With 60 per cent of shoppers
planning to buy food or groceries
for Halloween, the focus is
shifting to in-home festivities.
Ben Parker, VP Sales – Off
Trade, Carlsberg Britvic, shares
with Asian Trader, “This year,
Carlsberg Britvic is bringing the
excitement to stores with Make
Your Halloween Shockingly
Tasty! – a bold promotion
featuring a selection 7UP, Pepsi
MAX and Tango products.
“With eye catching point of
sale materials, in-store displays
and consumer competitions
across select retailers, the
promotion is designed to capture
shopper attention and drive
purchase during a key moment
for fruit-flavoured carbonates,
maximising seasonal impact
in-store.”
Meanwhile, alcohol brands
see Halloween as an early test
run for Christmas. Cider-makers
push autumnal flavours, spirits
labels release limited-edition
bottles with spooky branding,
and even beer companies
produce pumpkin ales or darker
Let the ghoul times roll
Rachel Wells, Commercial
Director at St Pierre Groupe,
advises retailers on how to
make the best of the spooky season
Shoppers have learnt how to treat themselves well at home, so
even if they’re feeling the pinch when these events come
around again this year, they won’t compromise on quality.
Offer good, better and best ranges in bakery and elsewhere to
drive sales in this key period.
Do not forget about bakery and other take-home treats to
drive sales during the Halloween and bonfire season.
Family favourites and easily-served winter warmers such as
hot dogs and burgers are perfect menu items for entertaining.
St Pierre Seeded Brioche Burger Buns, Brioche Buns, and
Brioche Hot Dog Rolls sell well all year round, but in busy
periods like Halloween and Bonfire Night, retailers should
make sure they give these top sellers more space and keep
bakery sections and freestanding displays fully stocked.