No Tricks. Penske Logistics Keeps the Treats Coming.

Thousands of young ghouls and goblins are getting ready to break out their goody bags as trick-or-treat gets closer.

Thousands more are making their shopping lists for Halloween-themed dishes for their costume parties.

Kids and adults alike can thank Penske drivers for getting all that delicious candy and other goodies onto the shelves.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), nearly 180 million people are planning to celebrate the spookiest day of the year by throwing Halloween parties, trick-or-treating or decorating their homes.

Our Penske Logistics drivers do their part in making sure those millions of pounds of candy and food get from the distribution centers to the grocery stores to your goody bags on trick-or-treat night.

“We take pride in what we do for our customers,” said Penske Logistics Senior Vice President of Sales Joe Carlier. “We provide them with reliable logistics solutions from product pickup through delivery.

“We not only offer logistics solutions to ensure the shelves are stocked, but also the most sophisticated enabling technologies to make it all happen.”

This year, the NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics conducted their annual survey to gauge how much money consumers will spend for this haunted holiday. They expect Americans to spend a record $9.1 billion for Halloween. That’s an increase from last year’s $8.4 billion. This includes spending on candy, costumes and party decorations.

With all of this heavy-duty spending, the question is, “Where are people doing their shopping?”

Nine out of 10 people celebrating Halloween bought their candy at grocery stores, department stores and specialty stores.

Of those same people, more than 60 percent of them wait until the last few weeks to do their Halloween shopping. This last-minute rush can make it difficult for store owners to anticipate how much inventory they should have for their customers.

Penske Logistics works with those grocery stores, department stores and retailers to make sure their businesses stay ahead of the curve and are prepared.

“We work with our customers in making sure their logistics needs are met,” said Carlier. “Our industry knowledge and expertise allow us to not only meet their expectations but to exceed them.

“We live in a world where convenience is important to our customers, and that has an impact on the supply chain. It’s the shippers’ responsibility to make sure that need is met for their customers.”

So from now on, when you think of Halloween, don’t think of ghosts, pumpkins or haunted mansions. Be sure to think of Penske Logistics and how the transportation leader gets your favorite candy and decorations to your favorite stores.

Below are some more Halloween 2017 stats from the NRF.

• Consumers are expected to spend about $2.7 billion on Halloween candy.
• Around 70 percent of people celebrating Halloween will hand out candy on trick-or-treat night.
• Consumers are expected to spend an average $86.13 this year on things like candy, costumes and decorations.

By Chris Abruzzo