Peter Schorsch
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are Floridians’ favorite sweet treat for Halloween, according to data analyzed by Candystore.com. The chocolate peanut butter confection is followed by Skittles and then, for some strange reason, Hot Tamales.
Reese’s cups also top the list of Americans’ favorites overall, followed closely by M&Ms, then Hot Tamales, Skittles and Sour Patch Kids to round out the top five.
Making it into the top 10 are Starburst, Hershey’s Kisses, candy corn, Hershey’s mini bars and Snickers. How the hell candy corn beats Snickers remains a mystery.
Nationwide, Americans are expected to spend more than $12.2 billion for Halloween this year, up 15% over last year. Candy is expected to account for $3.6 billion of that total.
Since 2011, Halloween candy sales have grown more than $1.5 billion, from $2.08 billion.
The massive sales volume for America’s spookiest holiday is buoyed by its overwhelming participation in society, with 172 million Americans celebrating in one way or another. Among those who celebrate, 96% purchase candy.
Americans spend, on average. $31.93 on the holiday, with most of the shopping happening in the first two weeks of October.
Some of that spending is on pets, with the most popular pet costumes being pumpkins and hot dogs.
And this little tidbit is for Jimmy Kimmel, whose annual “tell your kids you ate their Halloween candy” is a viral sensation: More than half of parents stash some of their kids’ Halloween candy to enjoy later in the year.
Candystore.com also checked out which candies parents weren’t likely to stash. Circus Peanuts — the orange peanut-shaped marshmallow candy that you’d be forgiven for forgetting — earned the dubious distinction as the nation’s worst candy.
Candy Corn grabbed the No. 2 worst spot, defying reason considering it also made the top 10 best. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Also making the worst list are Necco Wafers, Peanut Butter Kisses, Wax Coke Bottles (we didn’t even know this was still a thing!), Mary Janes (your guess is as good as mine), Smarties, Black Licorice, Bit-O-Honey, and Tootsie Rolls.
Armed with information, we hope you choose wisely on this year’s candy stash. And don’t eat all of it before the trick-or-treaters show up.
Enjoy this video:
