MUNCIE, Ind. – Centuries after the ancient Celts celebrated Halloween, the holiday has grown into a fearsome retail monster, says a Ball State University retail marketing analyst.

In 1999, Americans spent about $98 per person on costumes, candy, decorations and other Halloween products, transforming the holiday into a $5 billion retail season -- second only to Christmas, said James Lowry, a marketing professor.

For retailers, it is a great way to bridge the months between the end of Labor Day sales and the start of the Christmas shopping season, he said.

"More and more retailers are treating Halloween like Christmas with specialty areas to spur sales," Lowry said. "Retailers want consumers to think about all the Halloween-related merchandise they need, ranging from outdoor lights and decorations to candy and customs.

"Just as you can buy just about anything associated with Christmas, you can with Halloween," he said. "We have Halloween plates, glasses, linens, bed sheets and flags. There really is no end to the marketing as long as people are buying."

Lowry expects people to increase their purchases by 20 percent this year, which is encouraging retailers to stock more shelves with a wider variety of festive merchandise.

"It is all because we have more discretionary money to spend," he said. "Over the last decade, Americans have watched their incomes increase and when this happens, we like to spend our money.

"Since it has been a long time since Labor Day, we don't need much of an excuse to have a party and spend our money. If you have money and an excuse, you spend that money."

A survey conducted by a national mall ownership group found that 86 percent of people will celebrate Halloween and 93 percent will shop for Halloween products. Most will do the bulk of their shopping in the next few weeks, according to the survey. Lowry believes that besides an increase in discretionary spending, adults have transformed the holiday into a season in which grown-ups dress in their favorite costumes -- escaping the rigors of adulthood.

In 1999, the American Express Retail Index on Halloween found that 28 percent of adults questioned planned to put on a costume, an 8 percent jump over 1998.

"Everyone wants to be a superhero like Batman," Lowry said. "People remember how much fun they had dressing up when they were kids."

A recent survey by the National Retail Federation found that candy sales are expected to reach $1.8 billion, while costumes pull in $1.5 billion and home decorations, pumpkins, greeting cards and other party essentials will account for as much as $2.5 billion.

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, Lowry may be reached by e-mail at jlowry@bsu.edu or by phone at (765)285-5180.)