Retailers’ love Halloween, too

Nearly 3.8 million children age five to 14 will be out trick-or-treating Oct. 31 and Canadian families are spending enough on candy to give them all “killer sugar highs,” according to Statistics Canada.

Canadians are expected to spend about $1.5 billion on Halloween-related purchases, Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada reported.  This not-for-profit charity teaches Canadian consumers how to budget, get out of debt and use credit wisely.

Candy and snack-food sales skyrocket every October, according to Stats Canada, which publishes a list of Halloween statistics every year. Sales totaled just over $355 million in October 2011, almost $80 million higher than the average month of sales that year.

Pumpkins also play a significant role in the Canadian economy during Halloween season. Approximately $16.7 million worth of pumpkins were produced in Canada last year Stats Canada confirmed.