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Gen Z is fuelling a Halloween spending frenzy

Gen Z drives Halloween spending surge with 91% celebrating and heavy social media influence. Brands like Chipotle capitalize with themed campaigns and products.

Gen Z is fuelling a Halloween spending frenzy

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Ew - not Christmas. No.

The day I celebrate better than I do my own birthday.

I've been obsessed with the macabre since I was a child. But that's not the only thing about the holiday that captivates me. It's the essence, the spirit of Halloween, if you will. Everything feels a little dark, chaotic and exciting.

Turns out I'm not the only one with an affinity for All Hallows' Eve. Gen-Z feels the same way.

Halloween has always been a retail hotspot.

After COVID, consumers have increasingly invested in lavish décor. However, the holiday is allegedly reaching new heights with its amplification by Gen Z on social media. And we see that reflected in the demographic's spending.

Last year, 91% of Gen Z-ers between the ages of 12 and 22 said they would be celebrating Halloween. Roughly 70% of those Gen Z consumers said they planned to spend money on costumes. And more than half (58%) reported they would be purchasing Halloween decorations.

Chipotle is no stranger to ghoulish gags. In recent years, the brand has posted joke Halloween costume ideas on social media, making light of the memes around its napkins and forks.

This year, the restaurant chain is bringing their efforts into the physical realm. They're teaming up with Spirit Halloween to make a line of "Boorito' costumes. These include a Chipotle-branded burrito, water cup, and napkin. The move plays into the chain's long-running 'Boorito' Halloween marketing activations.

Sophie Rose

Sophie Rose

Lead Writer

Resident writer here at TAS, and professional overthinker of all things culture, media and marketing. Every day, I sacrifice my sanity to try and make sense of the internet, so you don’t have to. I know, gods work, right?If you’re into razor sharp takes, weird cultural rabbit holes, and the kind of analysis that feels like grabbing coffee with that friend who can’t help going on a tangent, then you're going to love me.

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Originally published in Your Attention Please № 247 · 17 Apr 2026 · Edited by Devon O'Reilly · Fact-checked by Casey Bennett

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