Retail peaks around Halloween
Club Orange, Digital Retail
Retail activity increases in the lead-up to Halloween. Last year, Kantar reported grocery sales rose 6.4% in the four weeks before Halloween, reaching €1.2 billion—the highest monthly sales of the year to November. Households shopped more frequently in October, up 2.6% year-on-year, stocking up for Halloween and the bank holiday before the school mid-term break, driving a 5.4% increase in volume sales. Spending grew across chocolate (+€8.9m), savoury snacks (+€2.4m), home baking (+€774k), and sweets (+€1.6m).
OOH plays a central role in driving these purchases. TGI data shows 78% of Halloween shoppers were reached by OOH ads, 67% engaged with the brand after seeing an ad, 63% engaged online, and 37% made a purchase.
Reaching consumers ahead of mid-term and Halloween
Fáilte Ireland, Digipanel
Mid-term breaks give people extra time for shopping, local outings and short getaways. There are various seasonal festivals taking place around the country at this time of year such as the Púca Halloween Festival in Co. Meath, local Samhain processions, the Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin or the many spooky themed events planned in parks and venues across the country. There is no doubt that people will be on the move and OOH allows brands to reach consumers in advance, shaping their plans ahead of the holiday. According to TGI, 63% of OOH audiences are planning a holiday or short break in the next 12 months, with 28% having made a purchase after seeing an OOH ad—demonstrating how OOH connects with highly engaged consumers.
Standing out as evenings darken
JCDecaux, Digipole
As autumn evenings darken, illuminated OOH formats offer brands a unique opportunity to stand out. Digipanels light up the busiest pedestrian streets in Dublin City centre and JCDecaux’s highly visible roadside formats such as fully backlit Première, scrolling Metropoles, illuminated classic billboards and the unmissable Digi48s in Dublin, Belfast and Derry ensure creative executions capture attention during peak commuter periods, particularly in extended hours of darkness.
Halloween offers brands a prime moment to reach consumers on the move. With families planning for the upcoming break, OOH can reach them as October 31st approaches, driving awareness, engagement and sales.
Source: Kantar 2024, TGI 2025