Summerween Trend Pushes Halloween Candy Sales Earlier
Halloween shopping is starting earlier and lasting longer, according to new research from Mars.
The candy giant’s “Tricks, Treats and Trends” report kicks off a 100-day countdown toward Halloween and features festive fall findings, including a look into the Summerween celebrations younger generations are using to stretch out the spooky season into a “multi-month” occasion.
“This year’s annual trends report shows that Halloween is becoming America’s longest retail season, marked by Summerween gatherings, early decorating and themed snacking,” Tim LeBel, Mars Snacking North America’s chief customer officer and chief Halloween officer, said in a statement. “Culture, not the calendar, is defining the seasons.”
The report found that roughly 57% of U.S. adults no longer think of Halloween as a single day. Two-thirds of Americans said they wish they could buy their favorite Halloween candy year-round, and among Gen Z, that figure jumps to 76%. When it comes to taking part in a Summerween celebration, nearly 60% of Gen Z respondents said they’re either aware of the trend or have already taken part in it.
Most of them are finding their news online as well. More than half of Gen Z respondents (53%) said they find Halloween product trends on TikTok. YouTube followed at 49%, with Instagram close behind at 48%.
Candy remains a daily indulgence for most Americans, with three in four adults calling it an essential pleasure. Chocolate remains the top choice nationally, but the report found notable pockets of variation. Consumers in the West showed the strongest preference toward Halloween-themed novelty treats, with 48% favoring them, while 46% of consumers in the South said gummies are their go-to.
The survey, conducted by Morning Consult on Mars’ behalf, polled 3,001 U.S. adults aged 18 and older who said they plan to celebrate Halloween. Fieldwork ran online between June 1 and June 5, with results weighted for age, education, gender, race and region.
Mars is capitalizing on the Halloween hype with some new candy releases set to hit store shelves nationwide. Candy lovers can keep on the lookout for new seasonal offerings such as Twix Skulls, Snickers Pumpkins Fun Size, M&M's Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie and Skittles Pop'd Creepy Crunch. The assfortment also spotlights returning seasonal champions Snickers Ghoulish Green and M&M's Halloween Blend.
Out-of-season Halloween celebrations aren’t the only occasions expected to pull big numbers this summer. Back-to-school spending for college students is predicted to break $100 billion for the first time this year, with families supporting K-12 students expected to spend roughly $43.3 billion on school supplies.
McLean, Va.-based Mars is a $65 billion-plus family-owned business with a diverse portfolio of quality snacking and food products.
This article first appeared on the site of CGT sister brand Progressive Grocer.
