By the Numbers: Why trick-or-treaters may bag more gummy candy than
chocolate this Halloween
[October 27, 2025] By
DEE-ANN DURBIN
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, Kansas, that produces its Halloween candy.
$10,710
The price for a metric ton of cocoa in January, which 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.
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Assorted Halloween Candy Bags are displayed on a shelve at a grocery
store in Mount Prospect, Ill., Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam
Y. Huh)
 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 Association. 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.
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