Source: candyusa.com, September 2020
Washington — Halloween chocolate and candy sales are up 13 percent during the latest four weeks ending September 6 compared with the same period during 2019, according to NCA and Information Resources, Inc. data.
The gains are largely driven by chocolate, which has seen its seasonal product sales grow 25.3 percent year-on-year, the Association reports. Grocery has been a key outlet for Halloween products, with the channel experiencing 17.1 percent growth for seasonal chocolate and candy.
Shoppers are now seeing Halloween items and displays at their local retailers, which speaks to merchants, manufacturers and consumers optimism that Halloween is happen, NCA reports.
This sales update follows news from regions across the country that are working with public health departments to strike a balance between safety and time-honored traditions, according to the Association. These include Los Angeles and Ventura counties as well as New York state and New Jersey.
NCA is also working with public health experts, nutrition professionals and the CDC to help take the guesswork out of Halloween. To this end, NCA set up Halloween Central, offering safety guidance from former CDC and FDA official Dr. Stephen Ostroff and inspiration for “celebrating a socially distant but not social awkward Halloween season,” the Association reports.
