Let’s give families a choice: Keep graphic Halloween displays out of unavoidable shopping areas

The problem

Every spring, graphic and frightening Halloween displays appear in Australian shops and shopping centres.

Halloween itself is not the problem.

The problem is when graphic, gory or intensely frightening displays are placed at store entrances, checkouts, main walkways and other areas families cannot reasonably avoid.

The impact on children

For many young children, frightening imagery does not disappear when they leave the shop. It can linger, contributing to anxiety, disturbed sleep and nightmares. What an adult sees as a few seconds of seasonal entertainment can become something a child replays in their mind long afterwards.

We have experienced this in our own family. Our kids have become distressed by confronting displays, wanted to avoid particular shops and continued thinking about frightening images after we have left. Other parents have shared similar experiences.

Parents should not have to navigate graphic horror imagery simply to enter a shop, buy everyday items or walk through a shopping centre.

What we are asking for

We are not asking retailers to remove Halloween products.

We are asking for one simple and reasonable change:

Place graphic, gory or intensely frightening Halloween merchandise in clearly designated areas that customers can choose to enter, rather than in unavoidable public spaces.

This needs to apply across the retail sector, from major chains to independent discount and variety stores, where some of the most confronting displays can appear prominently at entrances and along main walkways.

Give families a choice

Parents already make careful choices about the movies, games and media their children are exposed to. Retail environments should not remove that choice unnecessarily.

Retailers can still sell Halloween merchandise. People who enjoy it can still seek it out. But families who want to avoid graphic or frightening content should be able to do so.

This is not about banning Halloween.

It is about responsible display choices and giving families a genuine choice about what their children are exposed to.

If you agree, please sign and share this petition.