A new survey says 53% of Brits use tactics like switching off the lights to avoid trick-or-treaters. Fair enough, or should you answer the door on Halloween?
The poll for sweet brand Bebeto found 46% feel 'doorstep dread', 27% pretend not to be home and 29% leave sweets outside, yet 73% say they love the spooky season. 35% feel pressure to hand out sweets, rising to 48% in London.
What happened
A survey for confectionery brand Bebeto, reported on 14 October, found 53% of UK adults use 'stealth tactics' to avoid Halloween callers: 29% leave sweets outside, 27% pretend not to be home and 26% turn off their lights and sit in the dark. 46% said they suffer 'doorstep dread', and 35% feel pressure to hand out sweets, rising to 48% in London. Yet 73% said they love the spooky season, and 79% said trick-or-treating is common where they live.
Why people disagree
Some say no one is obliged to open their door to strangers, and that repeated knocking and upset pets can spoil the evening for households who'd rather stay out of it. Others say it's one night a year, children enjoy it, and sitting in the dark is a bit joyless when a bowl of sweets or a polite sign would do. Leaving sweets outside is the middle way many already choose.
What's still unclear
The survey was commissioned by a brand selling a self-serve sweet station, and its sample size and polling firm weren't published. It's also unclear how far callers respect a sign or an unattended bowl.
Sources
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