By the Numbers: Why trick-or-treaters may bag more gummy candy than chocolate 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, colors and flavors.

Last year, 52% of the total volume of Halloween candy sold in the U.S. 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 Oct. 5, chocolate accounted for 44% of the Halloween candy sold in the U.S.

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% of cocoa is produced. Chocolate candy is lot more expensive as a result.

Chocolate Halloween candy in the U.S. cost an average of $8.02 per pound in the 12 weeks ahead of Oct. 5, while non-chocolate candy cost 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% 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, Kan., that produces its Halloween candy.

$10,710

The price for a metric ton of cocoa in January, 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%

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

40.8%

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

4.9%

Growth in dollar sales of non-chocolate candy in the U.S. in 2024, according to the National Confectioners Assn. Chocolate candy sales, in comparison, grew 0.4%.

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.

Durbin writes for the Associated Press.