A Halloween night that falls on both a Saturday and a full moon would normally be ideal for candy, costume and decoration sales 91裸聊视频� and werewolves.

But experts say rising COVID-19 cases could put the kibosh on spooky festivities, curbing demand for supplies that usually deliver healthy profit margins for retailers from grocers to specialty pop-up stores.

Halloween sales could also serve as an indicator for what retailers might expect this Christmas, the largest shopping season of the year, experts say.

91裸聊视频淚 expect sales will be soft all around because of the lack of gatherings,91裸聊视频� said Farla Efros, president of HRC Retail Advisory. 91裸聊视频淚t will be scaled back, especially with restrictions coming back in place.91裸聊视频�

Premier Doug Ford said earlier this month that Halloween will be a challenge, noting that he would prefer parents not take their children trick-or-treating.

91裸聊视频淚t just makes me nervous, kids going door-to-door,91裸聊视频� he said.

However, Efros noted that 91裸聊视频渋t91裸聊视频檚 not just children and trick-or-treating91裸聊视频� driving Halloween sales.

91裸聊视频淎dults normally spend a considerable amount of money,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淏ut large gatherings and office Halloween parties just won91裸聊视频檛 happen this year.91裸聊视频�

Retail analyst Bruce Winder said families and friends might plan their own 91裸聊视频渂ubble Halloween91裸聊视频� like a backyard celebration or scary movie night.

While people will still buy some candy, decorations and costumes, he said it likely won91裸聊视频檛 be as profitable as usual for retailers and candy manufacturers.

91裸聊视频淗alloween is a really important category for a lot of retailers,91裸聊视频� said Winder, the author of the book Retail Before, During and After COVID-19. 91裸聊视频淥utside of Christmas, it91裸聊视频檚 the next biggest spend.91裸聊视频�

He said candy is often used as a 91裸聊视频渓oss leader91裸聊视频� to drive traffic to a store, while decorations and costumes are profit-driving items with high margins.

Yet because consumers will be less likely to shop around for the best prices this year, Winder said some retailers might back off on price promotions to help offset COVID-19 costs.

Still, he said given Halloween inventory was likely ordered months ago in many cases, retailers are likely to 91裸聊视频済o for it as much as they can.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think retailers are going to change that much in terms of how they merchandise,91裸聊视频� Winder said. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檒l use Halloween as a bit of a barometer for the temperature of Canadian spending during the pandemic ahead of Christmas.91裸聊视频�

Meanwhile, candy manufacturers are also bracing for a muted Halloween season.

Hershey Canada Inc. senior marketing manager Ola Machnowski said the maker of Halloween classics like Twizzlers, Jolly Ranchers and Reese91裸聊视频檚 Peanut Butter Cups is expecting to see an impact from the pandemic.

91裸聊视频淲e are expecting a decline in sales,91裸聊视频� she said, noting that the company has done some consumer insight work that points to a scaled-back Halloween.

Still, Machnowski said many Canadians are looking forward to celebrating in different ways, and will likely seek out treats and other supplies.

Yet she noted that it91裸聊视频檚 hard to predict what will happen over the coming weeks in terms of public health guidelines and restrictions.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e trying to find the delicate balance between planning and being nimble,91裸聊视频� Machnowski said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been talking about Halloween probably since Easter, so it91裸聊视频檚 very important to us.91裸聊视频�

Meanwhile, Michael Ross, chief financial officer of discount chain Dollarama Inc., expressed caution regarding how sales of Halloween goods will develop this year.

Typically, Halloween is 91裸聊视频渁 strong weight91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� anchoring third-quarter sales for Dollarama 91裸聊视频� a mainstay for seasonal products including Halloween candy, decorations and costumes.

91裸聊视频淲e believe it will have a negative impact, but to what extent we don91裸聊视频檛 know,91裸聊视频� he said earlier this month of the pandemic91裸聊视频檚 impact on Halloween sales.

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Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press

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