Shoppers have slammed a major UK retailer for rolling out Halloween decorations in July, accusing the high street chain of wishing summer away
While many Brits are still enjoying the summer sun, one major UK retailer has already pressed fast-forward on the calendar. Homeware giant The Range has officially kicked off spooky season by rolling out its Halloween products into stores across the country – a full three months before October 31st.
Taking to Facebook to announce the early arrival, the firm admitted it was jumping the gun, writing: “We know, we know…it’s a little early. But when the spooky season stock starts landing, who are we to ghost it?
“A few Halloween favourites have already started creeping into your local Range store this weekend – so if you want first dibs, run, don’t haunt!”
However, the announcement received a chilly response from disgruntled shoppers, who were quick to express their outrage in the comments section.
Many felt the mid-summer arrival was a step too far. One commenter said: “We are in July!!!”, while another bluntly branded the early rollout as simply “Diabolical”.
Others were frustrated that autumn displays were pushing out the current season. “We haven’t even got through summer yet!” argued one customer, as another posted: “No thanks. It’s summer time let’s enjoy it.”
The move also sparked fears over how soon festive displays would inevitably follow, with one person noting they were “Almost surprised you haven’t started Christmas!”
Despite the backlash, a dedicated faction of Halloween enthusiasts were thrilled at the prospect of getting their hands on the decorations early.
“Yay – let’s say goodbye to the heatwaves and bring on the cosy season,” said one eager shopper. Another wrote: “All year round with the spooky stuff!! Doesn’t have to be Halloween for it to be all over my house.”
One enthusiastic customer added: “Excuse me it is never too early for my home decor! Witches need it all year.”
Remarkably, The Range isn’t even the first UK retail chain to go early with the launch of its Halloween range this year.
High street rival Matalan recently drew similar fury from its customer base after debuting its own autumn line earlier this month.
Sharing a preview of their seasonal homeware on Facebook, Matalan posted: “We know it’s only July but we just couldn’t resist giving you autumn fans a little sneak peek.”
The reaction from Matalan shoppers was equally frosty, with customers accusing the high street of rushing through the year.
Despite the backlash, it seems UK high streets are determined to push ahead with seasonal changes – leaving shoppers to choose between buying their beach towels or their pumpkins in the July heat.