When it comes to the big occasions for spirits sales, the big hitters are usually easy to predict – Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and the key gifting moments that punctuate the year. Yet a look back at 2024’s biggest spirits occasions in the UK reveals an unexpected name: Halloween. It is no trick and if you’re a retailer, play ball and you could be in for a treat.
This, initially, might seem surprising. After all, Halloween is understandably seen as a children’s celebration – of costumes and trick-or-treating. But over the last decade, it’s evolved into something much broader in the UK – a truly communal occasion that has become a much bigger and grander event – with substantially increased consumer spending. Increasingly, it’s not just about sweets and pumpkins, but cocktails, themed gatherings, and a growing appetite for premium drinks.
While Halloween still flies somewhat under the radar for many spirits brands, the numbers show a clear opportunity. According to CGA data, during Halloween 2024 the average venue saw an uplift of £154 in drink sales, with spirits leading the charge, up 28.7% in rate-of-sale compared to an average Tuesday that October. Within that, vodka sales spiked by 71%, and tequila jumped 51.6%, proving that when it comes to raising spirits, Halloween delivers – no pun intended.
And with 31 October landing on a Friday this year, the potential is even greater – both for the on-trade and for shoppers looking to bring the party home.
Limited edition packaging and Cocktails
Those spirits brands that have understood the opportunity that exists with Halloween, mainly try to take advantage in two ways: (1) through sales of Limited-Edition packaging or serves and (2) through signposting a seasonal moment that encourages consumers to trade up into premium ‘treat me’ occasion.
Here’s a run down of some of our spooky szn faves across the years…
One of the biggest brands to do this is Bacardi. For several years the rum brand has produced Limited Edition glow in the dark Halloween bottles, with designs ranging from “mummified” bottles, to jackal lanterns, and in 2025, skeletons. This year it has also added QR codes to the backs of its Original and Spiced Rums, the use of which will bring up recipes for seasonal Bacardi cocktails on your Smart device.
The brand is also using other owned platforms to promote Bacardi-based cocktails for Halloween, such as its website where it suggests that “Bacardi rum is the perfect “boos” of choice” for the occasion.
The list of cocktails can be found on the Bacardi website and includes recipes for: The Bacardi Zombie Cocktail; The Bacardi Bat Brew and The Bacardi Diablo Colada, amongst others.
The Rémy Cointreau Group is also looking to serve up some seasonal cocktail creations for Halloween celebration – offering in its words everything from “eerie elegance to full-on fright night fun” – through brands like Remy Martin, Mount Gay, Metaxa and Cointreau.
These include the Spooky and Tasty cocktail, (which contains Mount Gay Dark Rum, Cointreau, bitters and a small cola top) and the Rémy Espresso (which is made up of your usual recipe for an Espresso Martini but swapping out vodka and adding in Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal).
In fact, Cointreau has its own host of Halloween cocktail ideas – and each of them can be easily recreated at home, with full recipes, step-by-step tips, and creative garnish ideas all available on the Cointreau website.
An example is the Pumpkin Spice Margarita – “where seasonal pumpkin spice flavours meet Cointreau’s citrusy richness, creating a festive and warming cocktail ideal for Halloween entertaining”.
Make a “spooky” weekend of it
And Halloween doesn’t just have to be a one-shot deal. Being on the Friday night, inventive operators and retailers can continue the focus on all things spooky by evolving their focus onto the Mexican Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) celebrations – which take place over the rest of the weekend (1-2 November).
A traditional Mexican two-day holiday, it has its roots in ancient Aztec traditions and is a big celebration for family and friends in Mexico. As a result, it is a focus for many tequila brands, who will be undertaking strong Day of the Dead themed activities – from Limited Edition bottles to promotions in stores and bars as well as experiential activations. For example, over the three-day Halloween weekend, Diageo’s Don Julio tequila will be partnering with Panadería Rosetta, one of Mexico’s most acclaimed bakeries, to create pop ups in more than twelve iconic global cities.
The pop ups will reimagine one of the cherished rituals of the holiday: the sharing of pan de muerto, a sweet, aromatic bread symbolizing love and remembrance.
While shoppers will see brands in other categories making a big splash for Halloween in retail – like Hobgoblin in Beer, Strongbow in Cider and 19 Crimes in Wine – it is important to focus back down on the sales data that has emerged in recent years. Make no mistake, spirits can drive important business when it comes to Halloween, and any retailers or licensees that are not switched onto this will feel more than spooked come next week.
