Trick or treat?: "Pumpkinflation" set to cost Brits an extra £10m this Halloween

EMBARGO: Immediate release

Even Halloween hasn’t escaped the cost-of-living crisis, as British families face an estimated extra £10 million bill for pumpkins, carving up family budgets, with prices rising by a fifth since 2021.

New analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed the scary extent of "Pumpkinflation," with the cost of a pumpkin soaring by an average of 22% across major UK supermarkets over the last five years.

With Brits buying an estimated 24 million pumpkins this Halloween, the total national cost is projected to reach £55 million in 2026.

The data compared prices across eight major supermarket chains and found the average price of a pumpkin has risen from £1.87 to £2.29. Some supermarkets have seen price hikes of over 30%, with one discount retailer showing a hair-raising 76.8% increase for a pumpkin. Only one supermarket, Morrisons, showed a price decrease.

The Liberal Democrats have warned that people are becoming “priced out” of enjoying events like Halloween, in part due to the ‘Trumpflation’ caused by the US President’s illegal war in Iran, which has sent the cost of everything from food to fuel skyrocketing.

The Party has demanded the Government get a grip on the cost of a supermarket shop, which is eating into household budgets. They have called for a Good Food Bill, setting long term targets for food security, production and affordability, which could give farmers the certainty they need to invest while protecting families from future price shocks.

Liberal Democrat Investment and Trade Spokesperson Josh Reynolds MP said:

“This Halloween horror show is a stark reminder that the cost of living crisis is far from over. Families who are already stretching their budgets to pay for essentials are now being squeezed just trying to have some simple family fun for Halloween.

“It is not fair that families in Britain are being priced out of enjoying a simple tradition with Trumpflation pushing up the cost of food and fuel and the Government’s failure to tackle the cost of living.

“The Government needs to wake up to the reality facing households. We need real action to tackle the root causes of this cost of living crisis and never ending inflation. Families deserve a treat from this Government, not more tricks.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Data Source: Price comparison data compiled by the Liberal Democrats, comparing prices of pumpkins across eight major UK supermarkets (Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Co-op, and Morrisons) between October 2021 and October 2026. The same pumpkin size was compared at each retailer in both years: large (Tesco, Waitrose, Lidl, Morrisons), extra large (Aldi, Asda) and carving pumpkin (Sainsbury’s, Co-op).

The average price across the eight rose from £1.87 to £2.29 (£0.42, or about 22.3%).

Total spend estimates were calculated by combining industry figures showing 24 million pumpkins are purchased annually (Retail Times) with price comparison data compiled by the Liberal Democrats.

The estimate is indicative and assumes the same number of pumpkins purchased in both years.

2021: 24m × £1.87 = £44.88m

2026: 24m × £2.29 = £54.96m

Total Increase: £10.08m