In the week before Halloween, Roamler checked 92 supermarkets and discount stores across the UK. 91% had at least one Halloween food or drink display, and half had three or more. But supermarkets and discounters set up Halloween in different ways, and with a different mix of brands.
Supermarkets Had More Displays Than Discounters
Supermarkets gave Halloween more space. 61% of supermarkets had three or more Halloween displays, compared with 39% of discounters.
The displays also stood in different places. In supermarkets, 62% of Halloween displays were in the seasonal aisle. In discounters, they were spread across the store: 37% in the seasonal aisle, 36% at the front of the store and 14% in the confectionery aisle.
Confectionery Takes Almost All the Space
Confectionery was on 82% of Halloween displays. Savoury snacks were on 12% and drinks on 8%.
The mix was narrower in discounters, where 95% of displays carried confectionery. In supermarkets, confectionery was on 73% of displays, with more room for other products such as Halloween cakes and biscuits.
Haribo Is Everywhere
Source: Roamler UK Halloween Check, 92 stores, 22–27 October 2026. 42 supermarkets and 42 discount stores with at least one Halloween display.
Haribo was the most widely present brand. It appeared on Halloween displays in 89% of the stores that had one, in both supermarkets (93%) and discounters (86%). Swizzels (68%) and store brands (56%) were also present in both types of store.
The big difference was chocolate. Cadbury was on Halloween displays in 86% of supermarkets, against 31% of discounters. The gap was similar for Maltesers (69% vs 19%) and M&M's (62% vs 7%). In discounters, displays relied more on sweets and store brands.
Few Health Claims on Halloween Confectionery
In two thirds of stores, no health or ingredient claim was seen on the confectionery products on Halloween displays. Sugar claims were almost absent: products marked “reduced sugar” were seen in 2% of stores, and none showed “no added sugar” or “organic”.
The most common claims were “vegan” (18% of stores) and “no artificial colours or flavours” (17%). Claims were more frequent in discounters, where 40% of stores had at least one, compared with 26% of supermarkets.
Christmas Is Already in Store
Halloween was not alone. In 87% of the stores, there was already at least one Christmas display, in the days before Halloween.
Visibility Depends on the Store Type
The same brand can get very different visibility depending on where shoppers buy. A brand that is well placed in supermarkets may be almost absent from discounters, and the reverse. In-store checks show where brands actually appear during a seasonal peak, store by store.
About the Study
Roamler checked 92 stores in the UK between 22 and 27 October 2026: 46 supermarkets (Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons) and 46 discount stores (B&M, Home Bargains and Poundland). In each store, the same questions were answered and photos were taken. Up to five Halloween food and drink displays were recorded per store, including displays in the seasonal aisle. Brand figures are the share of stores with a Halloween display where the brand appeared on at least one display. Claims are those seen on the packs on display, so they may be slightly understated.
Roamler collects in-store data for consumer goods brands and retailers across Europe and the US.