America’s Crushin’ on Candy!
June is National Candy Month and in celebration we’re sharing some fun facts about America’s candy craze!
Here are five fun fact sets about our crush on candy and chocolate:
99% of households buy chocolate or candy at least once a year. Most people in the U.S. enjoy chocolate & candy 2-3x per week. 1
Candy sales – including chocolate, non-chocolate as well as gum and breath fresheners – increased in 2022 to $42.6 billion. Sweets sales have been on the upswing as consumers continue to look for ways to treat themselves after changes in holidays and celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic decreased purchases in 2020. 2
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 22 pounds of candy is consumed by Americans each year. Most of that is chocolate. 3
Watermelon is the top summer flavor for 2023, followed by cherry and strawberry. Chocolate, gummies and salt water taffy round out the top three summer candy types. 4
Additionally, 94% of Americans will bring chocolate or candy with them camping, 93% of Americans say they’ll take along candy on a road trip, and 89% of beachgoers enjoy some sweet snacks in the sand. 5
Easter sees the highest spike in weekly candy sales, followed by Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas. 6
Sources: 1: CandyUSA.com (National Confectioners Association) 2: FoodDive.com 3: Eater.com 4: CandyUSA.com 5: Abasto.com 6: Nielsen
