Pumpkin spice season in full swing as Americans embrace fall traditions earlier than ever

If it seems like fall décor and seasonal food and drinks are arriving earlier each year, it’s not just in your head.Data show consumers are increasingly embracing “season creep” — shopping for seasonal products earlier than they did in years past.Younger consumers’ enthusiasm for fall, a desire to plan ahead and retailers’ efforts to extend seasonal spending may all be helping drive the shift.Last year, the popular pumpkin spice latte (PSL) returned to Dunkin’ on Aug.20 and to Starbucks on Aug.

26.Both coffeehouse chains brought their fall offerings back a day earlier this year, with Dunkin’ launching its fall menu on Aug.

19 and Starbucks bringing back its PSL on Aug.25, Florida Today reported.Data from online grocery delivery and pickup service Instacart showed that in 2024, “the seasonal peak for orders containing pumpkin spice items occurred on September 17, a full 10 days earlier than in 2023.”Demand also cooled sooner, according to Instacart, though orders for pumpkin spice items, such as flavored coffee creamers and yogurts, spiked again in November as Thanksgiving drew near.Food delivery service DoorDash reported in 2025 that “pumpkin spice is brewing sooner than ever.”PSL demand spiked on Aug.

19, nearly two weeks earlier than in 2021, the company reported.DoorDash also found that grocery orders for ingredients used to make fall-inspired drinks at home began spiking in late July.Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.

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Never miss a story.According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 49% of consumers said in 2025 that they would begin shopping for Halloween before October, compared with 34% a decade earlier.“More 18- to 24-year-old early shoppers say they look forward to fall or that Halloween is one of their favorite holidays, and they...