By the numbers: What’s behind the gummy takeover this Halloween?

Ghouls, goblins … and gummy bears.

Trick-or-treaters may find more fruity candy than chocolate among their Halloween handouts this year. That should be fine with younger consumers, who have been gravitating for years toward non-chocolate candies like gummies, freeze-dried treats and other sweets that come in a variety of shapes, colours and flavours.

Last year, 52 per cent of the total volume of Halloween candy sold in the US was made of chocolate, according to Dan Sadler, a principal for client insights at the market research company Circana. But in the 12 weeks ending October 5, chocolate accounted for 44 per cent of the Halloween candy sold in the US.

Prices may be part of it. Global cocoa prices more than quadrupled between January 2023 and January 2025 due to poor harvests in West Africa, where 70 per cent of cocoa is produced. Chocolate candy is a lot more expensive as a result.

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Chocolate Halloween candy in the US costs an average of $8.02 per pound in the 12 weeks ahead of October 5, while non-chocolate candy costs an average of $5.77 per pound, Sadler said.

Here’s a look at Halloween candy by the numbers:

$7.4 billion

The amount Americans spent on Halloween candy in 2024, according to the National Confectioners Association. That was 18 per cent of all candy sales last year.

30 million

The number of M&M’s that Mars Inc. makes each day at the facility in Topeka, Kansas, that produces its Halloween candy.

$10,710

The price for a metric ton of cocoa in January was an all-time high. Cocoa prices have fallen since then, but Sadler said it will take months for consumers to see the impact of those lower prices.

1,254

Miles between Topeka and New York. If you stretched out all the Snickers bars that Mars makes annually in Topeka, you could make that trip seven times.

61 per cent

Percentage of US consumers who bought candy for trick-or-treaters last year, according to Hershey. Hershey said 45 per cent of consumers reported buying Halloween candy for themselves.

40.8 per cent

Market share for Hershey in Halloween candy last year, making it the top performer. Hershey said its Halloween assortment — which includes Reese’s, Kit Kat and Almond Joy — was the top seller last Halloween.

July 5

Date on which Mars started rolling Halloween candy out to US stores this year. Mars makes Snickers, M&Ms, Skittles, Starburst and other candies.

4.9 per cent

Growth in dollar sales of non-chocolate candy in the US in 2024, according to the National Confectioners Association. Chocolate candy sales, in comparison, grew 0.4 per cent.

3.6

Average number of weeks ahead of Halloween that Americans buy Halloween candy, according to Mars. Generation Z buys it sooner, around 4.5 weeks in advance.

2 years

Amount of time Mars takes to plan for a Halloween season.