Nestlé has launched a raft of themed confectionery to help retailers capitalise on the growing Halloween opportunity.

The Mini Smarties Trick or Treat Pumpkin (rrp £3.00) comes complete with ten boxes of mini Smarties inside. A tear strip on the front of the pumpkin’s mouth can be removed to create a pack ideal for taking straight to the door to share with trick or treaters.

The eight-count display outer features the call to action ‘Do you dare to dip?’ to capture attention in a fun and inviting way.

A recent Nielsen report shows that shoppers are looking for packs that are easy to hand out to trick or treaters, have fun or novel Halloween branding, and contain treats that are individually wrapped.

Rowntree’s Randoms is also getting in on the fun with £1 Spooky Mix sharing bag. Full of scary shapes, including ghosts, bats, pumpkins and skulls, the packs will particularly a younger audience with a bit more money to spend and are designed for sharing with friends and family.

Returning to the range for 2015 are the Smarties Pumpkin, which saw sales growth of 8% in 2014, and Milkybar Ghost impulse novelties (both rrp 65p).

The firm is also releasing the Rowntree’s Tub (rrp £6.99) containing a mix of Fruit Pastilles, Jelly Tots and Randoms. Whilst it is not specific to Halloween, customer trials in 2014 saw the pack make 50% of its sales during Halloween as consumers bought it as an alternative to chocolate for sharing with family and friends.

Nestlé advises retailers to stock the range from 1 August.

A Nestlé UK & Ireland spokesperson said: “Halloween is a huge occasion for confectionery in the UK, with sales worth £116m. 75% of families buy into Halloween confectionery, with 26% of families taking part in trick or treating.

“Consumers are looking for fun, Halloween themed products from brands they know and trust to give as trick or treat goodies, to share with friends and family or even as an impulse treat for themselves. The 2015 range from Nestlé aims to tick all these boxes, providing retailers with a range of products they know their shoppers will love. What’s more, with shoppers willing to trade up and spend a bit more during this season, retailers who embrace it have an excellent opportunity to generate incremental profits.”