Halloween Edition - October 2025
With spooky season in full swing, the creativity from brands in UK grocery stores is impossible to ignore. From major partnerships to inventive special editions, it’s clear that Halloween is no longer just a holiday it has become a critical sales period for brands and grocers alike.
With Halloween week now Autumn’s single biggest trading period, our team has been on the ground scouting the most effective brand activations in stores.
A Taste of the Upside Down
“A perfect match for Halloween, this campaign taps into one of the season’s most anticipated TV releases, brought to life through a playful retro-style game and great prizes.” – GC View
Chupa Chups has launched a UK collaboration with Stranger Things, releasing mystery-flavoured lollipops in limited-edition themed packs. Coinciding with the show’s new season later this year, the campaign lets fans scan a QR code to play a Demogorgon-dodging game and win co-branded prizes.
Crack the Code in Hawkins
“This activation goes beyond the standard confectionery and pop culture partnership. It is interesting to see how this retail activation can also present to wider audiences, with experiential Fright Night challenges – ensuring maximum visibility of the campaign.” – GC View
The partnership is further brought to life at Thorpe Park’s Fright Nights. The highlight is a recreation of the Byers’ house from the show, where guests face the ‘Stranger Lights’ Challenge. Teams have 60 seconds to decode a secret message from the iconic flickering Christmas lights to win prizes
A Killer Halloween with Fanta
“Fanta’s Halloween campaign is a ‘wicked’ step up from last year’s Beetlejuice partnership. It dials up the mischief and keeps that brilliantly unhinged energy alive across ATL and limited-edition shopper packaging. Confident, cohesive, and packed with personality, it nails the balance between fun and fear to really own the moment.” – GC View
Fanta has launched its biggest UK Halloween campaign yet, teaming up with Universal and Blumhouse to feature horror icons like Chucky, Freddy Fazbear and M3GAN on limitededition packs, and introducing a new ‘Chucky Punch’ flavour. The campaign also uses a playful, horror-themed ATL which blends classic jump-scares with tongue-in-cheek humour.
Fright Night with Fanta
“Fanta’s 2025 ‘Haunted Fanta Factory’ campaign is a brilliantly spooky and engaging Halloween experience. The vibrant in-store displays and limited-edition packs draw shoppers in, while the on-pack game adds an exciting interactive twist with amazing prizes. It’s a fun, immersive promotion which perfectly captures the Halloween spirit.” – GC View
Fanta has launched its 2025 Halloween ‘Haunted Fanta Factory’ campaign, featuring limited-edition packs, an onpack game and live pop-up experiences. By scanning a pack, consumers can enter the Haunted Factory, complete challenges and unlock rewards, from cash and immersive horror experiences to a trip to New York or LA.
Wickedly Good Partnership
“A ‘galindafied’ product with a ‘wicked’ augmented reality experience, adding a touch of magic into the typically mundane weekly food shop, encouraging shoppers to stop and interact with the campaign, and more importantly taste and subsequently purchase the limited-edition product.” – GC View
Robinsons have partnered with the Wicked movie, with limited-edition glittery squash and Fruit Shoot flavours landing in stores. The campaign features an on-pack promotion to win a trip to New York, eye-catching POS displays, and an innovative augmented reality mirror activation in select Tesco stores, allowing consumers to visualise themselves as key characters from the movies.
Halloween with Heinz
“Heinz has brilliantly captured the Halloween spirit. These limited-edition mayos are an absolute must for spooky season. The novelty and visually shocking black garlic and the nostalgic flavour fun of Monster Munch will make them fly off the shelves. A pair of memorable twists for shoppers’ Halloween feasts.” – GC View
For Halloween 2025, Heinz has launched limited-edition mayos across different markets. In the UK, Scarily Good Monster Munch Mayo returns, mixing Heinz mayo with Monster Munch, Pickled Onion flavour. Meanwhile in Brazil, a black garlic ‘Mayo Halloween’ rolls out in glow-in-thedark jars, supported by a classic horror-style campaign.
Spooky Season with Style
“For spooky season, Au’s limited-edition release is a fantastic choice! The effort shows, with both specially designed and UV-printed bottles. Paired with fantastically spooky glassware, this brand will be front and centre at Halloween parties this year.” – GC View
Au Vodka’s 2025 Halloween collection offers a spooky twist on its popular vodkas. This limited-edition release features specially designed, UV-printed bottles for Juicy Peach (pumpkin), Strawberry Burst (Dracula), Green Watermelon (spider) and Black Grape (bat) flavours. Fans can also purchase exclusive extras, including a creepy Au Gold Mask and themed glassware.
Halloween Limited Editions
Monster Glow-Up
19 Crimes partners with Universal Monsters for a spooky wine collection. The limited-edition bottles feature glow-in-the-dark labels of Frankenstein, his Bride, and The Mummy, which come to life via an AR experience.
Krispy S’Kreme
Krispy Kreme launched its ‘Night of the Skremes’ range. The horror movie-themed collection includes four new doughnuts like the werewolfinspired ‘Howl-o-ween’ and the spooky ‘Pumpkin Spicemare.’
Stranger Snacks
Babybel joins the Hellfire Club in a Stranger Things partnership. This limited edition features a new fiery, plant-based Babybel with a chilli kick, inspired by the popular Netflix series.
Upside Down Doritos
Doritos enters the Upside Down with a Stranger things tie-in. The launch includes a mysterious limited-edition Black Garlic Dip and themed party-sized bags featuring characters and graphics from the hit show.
Snacking After Dark
Pringles is joining spooky season with limited-edition glow-in-the-dark cans, featuring ‘Hot Scary BBQ Ribs’ and ‘Hauntin’ Sour Cream’ in eerie, light-up designs. Perfect for Halloween parties or a night of snacking with a scare.
In Store Spook-taculars
Inspirational Charity Partnerships
£100m Milestone
“Wow, what a milestone – £100m raised! The move into TikTok Shop shows how heritage campaigns can evolve with culture, building awareness, engagement, and fundraising relevance with the next generation of shoppers. It’s fantastic to see so many brands unite behind such an important and impactful cause.” – GC View
Asda’s Tickled Pink campaign marks its 29th year, having now raised over £100m for Breast Cancer Now & CoppaFeel!. More than 200 products have turned pink to fund research. New for 2025 is Asda’s first charity TikTok Shop, offering a £7.17 bundle reflecting that 1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lives.
Biscuit for your Thoughts?
“McVitie’s ‘Buy a pack, Gift a pack’ scheme takes on a serious social issue in a warm, thoughtful way. It’s a simple idea, but like a good cuppa and biscuit, it goes a long way. Great to see a big brand showing heart (and sharing snacks) for a good cause.” – GC View
McVitie’s continues its ‘Let’s Talk’ partnership with Mind to combat loneliness. A new Tesco-exclusive promotion invites shoppers to ‘Buy a pack & Gift a pack FREE!’ to a friend, aiming to spark connections over biscuits. The initiative is backed by a £110,000 donation from McVitie’s to support Mind’s vital mental health services.
