Posted on 10/07/2023 9:04:53 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Be ready for trick-or-treaters.
If you’ve walked into a supermarket, big box retailer, or almost any other store recently, you’ve probably strolled past the aisles stocked with bags of Halloween candy, ready for you to hide in your desk drawers so you can have a little pumpkin-shaped treat every afternoon until Christmas. Or, uh, so you’re prepared for all the trick-or-treaters who will knock on your door at the end of the month. Either way.
According to online candy retailer CandyStore.com, a whopping 96% of people who celebrate Halloween will buy candy, spending an average of $31.93 each. (The 4% who aren’t buying candy are the ones who undoubtedly drop toothbrushes into underwhelmed kids’ treat bags.) The company cites data from the National Retail Federation, which estimates that overall Halloween candy spending will hit $3.6 billion this year, a 16% jump over last year.
So what are we all buying? CandyStore.com has analyzed its sales data for the past 15 years and has determined that the top 10 Halloween candies are, in order from No. 1 to No. 10, Reese’s Cups, M&M’s, Hot Tamales, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst, Hershey’s Kisses, Candy Corn, Hershey’s Mini Bars, and Snickers.
Infomap of the Most Popular Halloween Candies 2023 COURTESY OF CANDYSTORE.COM As far as state-by-state numbers go, here is what the site says are the fave candies of all 50 states (and we have to say that we have some serious questions about what’s happening in Louisiana and Utah).
A Witch's Tips for the Best Halloween Party Ever Alabama: Skittles Alaska: Twix Arizona: Hershey’s Kisses Arkansas Butterfinger California: M&M’s Colorado: Milky Way Connecticut: Almond Joy Delaware: Sour Patch Kids Florida: Reese’s Cups Georgia: Jolly Ranchers Hawaii: Hershey’s Mini Bars Idaho: Snickers Illinois: Sour Patch Kids Indiana: Starburst Iowa: Reese’s Cups Kansas: M&M’s Kentucky: Reese’s Cups Louisiana: Lemonheads Maine: Sour Patch Kids Maryland: Hershey’s Kisses Massachusetts: Butterfinger Michigan: Starburst Minnesota: Hot Tamales Mississippi: 3 Musketeers Missouri: Almond Joy Montana: Twix Nebraska: Sour Patch Kids Nevada: Hershey’s Mini Bars New Hampshire: Reese’s Cups New Jersey: Tootsie Pops New Mexico: Hot Tamales New York: Sour Patch Kids North Carolina: M&M’s North Dakota: Hot Tamales Ohio: Blow Pops Oklahoma: Skittles Oregon: M&M’s Pennsylvania: Hershey’s Mini Bars Rhode Island: M&M’s South Carolina: Skittles South Dakota: Starburst Tennessee: Tootsie Pops Texas: Sour Patch Kids Utah: Candy Corn Vermont: M&M’s Virginia: Butterfinger Washington DC: M&M’s Washington: Tootsie Pops West Virginia: Hershey’s Mini Bars Wisconsin: Butterfinger Wyoming: Reese’s Cups
The site actually listed the top three candies for each state, and, in one of the biggest surprises, Salt Water Taffy was the runner-up choice in four states (Nebraska, Tennessee, Washington, and Wyoming), only one of which is close to any actual salt water. The other interesting takeaway was that Oregon residents are the most likely to hand out full-sized candy bars, which is good news for any costumed kid heading out later this month.
It’s worth taking these results with a grain of salt because, again, this data is based on the website’s own sales numbers. But still, it’s hard to argue with Reese’s Cups being the overall favorite. Why else would we have so many of them in our desks?
The first year in our new place we had some candy ready. No trick-or-treaters showed up, so now we just close the gate and leave the outside lights off. Very few kids in the neighborhood anyway, and only a few houses up this side road, so I guess it’s not worth their time. Suits me fine.
Eat that candy corn with a handful of peanuts and it tastes just like a Pay Day Candy Bar.
Absolutely! :)
I’ve seen the figure $3.1+ billion thrown around for the amount America spends on Halloween candy, annually. A few bucks kicked to a polling company to keep some names front and center is probably a good investment. I’m sure it factors into regional distribution.
No Sugar Babies!!
we used to line up our candy on the floor afterwards and just marvel with pride....
the days of joy and innocence.....
Apples with Wilkinson’s…..
OK, but what about the Pez, Larry?
Chocolate covered cherries, thin mints, and Milky Way bars.
I was sitting here watching football with a bowl of that very same concoction next to me. Normally I’m not a big sweets guy but Brachs gets me with their jelly beans around Easter too.
I love PayDays! Thanks for the tip!
Florida: Reese’s Cups
Perfect choice!
Swell, that will do.
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