A third of Brits think Halloween gore has gone too far

1 month ago 16

The poll of 2,000 adults who celebrate the spooky season revealed that Brits are transforming their front gardens with cute, family-friendly decorations instead of terrifying clowns and gruesome body parts.

As one in 10 admit to feeling uncomfortable or put off by scary decorations, it appears Brits are opting for a more light-hearted approach to Halloween, so as not to frighten people. This includes decorating with playful pumpkins (51%), cosy candles (34%) and string lights (32%).

The study was commissioned by M&M'S, which is adorning the doorway of one lucky superfan with adorable decorations for Halloween.

Nicki Rodriguez, 48, from Ongar, Essex, said: "As part of my job, I have a side hustle decorating the inside of homes for Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. I go all out for Halloween inside my own home, but I never have time to do the outside, so this would be 'perfect,' a 'dream come 'true',' and a 'nice change.'"

She added, "I totally relate to the trend of wanting more fun and friendly Halloween decorations. My son has autism, so I avoid gory or scary decor myself, and I notice my clients prefer nice, friendly decorations as well."

The research also discovered that nearly a quarter (26%) said they'd be more likely to participate in the spooky season if it was less scary and the same amount (26%) would be more likely to visit a home that was decorated with more family-friendly themes.

A M&M's superfan's doorstep is transformed with decorations from M&M's London in Leicester Square, featuring a Ring Video Doorbell for an enhanced trick-or-treating experience.

On average, Brits splash out £56 on Halloween decorations, with creepy cobwebs (30%), friendly ghosts (29%) and spooky skeletons (28%) topping the list of popular choices.

Almost half (49%) say their friends and family inspire them to deck out their homes for Halloween, while 46% simply love celebrating the season.

For 30%, the perfect Halloween night involves carving pumpkins, nearly a quarter (24%) prefer baking Halloween treats, and 23% enjoy decorating their homes.

Sophia Padt, Mars Wrigley's head of Halloween fun, who has teamed up with Ring doorbell to revive the playful spirit of Halloween, said: "Halloween should be for everyone, not just those who love the gruesome and gore. We hope to encourage more people to participate and create some entertaining memories along the way."