In the third quarter of 2022, M&M's was the most popular candy brand in the United States (U.S.). About 79 percent of respondents had a positive opinion of the brand. In second place was Godiva, with 67 percent.
The market for candy in the U.S.
The Hershey company has the highest share in the confectionery market in the U.S., with almost 24 percent. Mars, Incorporated is Hershey’s biggest competitor in that market. With a market share of just under 23 percent, Mars closely follows in second place. Chewy candy is the type of candy with the highest sales, generating more than 4.2 billion U.S. dollars in annual sales. Novelty and breath fresheners follow as the second and third most popular types of candy, with sales of approximately 967 million and 554 million U.S. dollars, respectively.
Candy purchases during Halloween in the U.S.
The weekly retail sales of candy in the U.S. show large fluctuations throughout the months between July and February. Around Halloween, sales rise rapidly and reach levels that are more than twice as much as in July. Nonetheless, after the holiday, sales fall just as quickly. Within just a week, sales reach levels comparable to the pre-holiday levels. The leading Halloween candy among children is the Peanut Butter Cup from Reese's. Slightly over three-quarters of survey children chose Reese's Peanut Butter Cup when asked to pick one candy over others. During the 2022 Halloween season, U.S. consumer spending on Halloween candy was worth about 3.1 billion U.S. dollars. This was more than during the previous year and more than the pre-pandemic level of spending. After a downward trend between 2017 and 2020, sales in 2022 have risen for the second year in a row.
