More than 40 percent of Halloween shoppers restock candy so they don’t run out for trick-or-treaters, and about two in five buy a separate “buffer bag” for the household, according to new survey data from Mars Snacking.
The figures come from the company’s 2026 “Tricks, Treats and Trends” survey, which Morning Consult fielded June 1-5 among 3,001 U.S. adults. Mars published the first results in July and released additional findings ahead of the holiday.
For grocery retailers, the data points to candy demand that runs through the last days of October and to younger shoppers who still make the purchase in a store.
“Culture, not the calendar, is defining the seasons and our strategy,” said Tim LeBel, chief Halloween officer and chief customer officer at Mars Snacking North America, when the report was released in July.
Key findings
In addition to the findings about shoppers being well prepared for their candy needs, the Halloween survey found:
- Watching movies or shows (37 percent) and enjoying seasonal candy (35 percent) rank ahead of house parties (22 percent), trick-or-treating (21 percent) and community events (14 percent).
- Among parents, 40 percent say they watch movies at home and 30 percent say they trick-or-treat.
- 53 percent of Gen Z use TikTok to discover Halloween trends or candy, but 43 percent buy candy at large-format retailers and 41 percent at supermarkets or grocery stores.
- 68 percent of Gen Z and 67 percent of Millennials say Halloween candy makes better social content than everyday candy.
- 72 percent say handing out full-size bars makes a household the “favorite house on the block.”
Gen Z finds candy online, buys it in stores
Social platforms drive discovery for Gen Z. After TikTok at 53 percent, 49 percent use YouTube and 48 percent use Instagram to find new Halloween trends or candy.
The purchase happens somewhere else. Supermarkets and grocery stores (41 percent) trail large-format retailers such as Walmart and Target (43 percent) by 2 points among Gen Z candy shoppers. Drug stores follow at 20 percent and retailer websites at 18 percent. TikTok Shop and other social platforms account for 10 percent.
Restocking extends the selling window
The restocking and buffer-bag numbers suggest many households make more than one candy trip before Oct. 31. One bag is for the door and one is for the pantry.
The at-home findings point the same way. With movie nights and seasonal candy outranking trick-or-treating, some of that candy is bought for the household and not for the porch.
Spending expected to reach $13.5B
The Mars data arrives as the National Retail Federation projects total Halloween spending of $13.5 billion this year, up from $13.1 billion in 2025. NRF’s survey of 7,889 consumers, conducted Sept. 1-9 by Prosper Insights & Analytics, found 96 percent of Halloween shoppers plan to buy candy, worth an estimated $4.1 billion.
“Consumers continue to make Halloween a spending priority,” said Allison Zeller, VP of industry and consumer insights at NRF.
Shoppers are watching prices. If Halloween items cost more than expected, 31 percent told NRF they will comparison shop and 26 percent will look for coupons or sales. Handing out candy remains the most common activity in the NRF survey at 61 percent.
Mars’ 2026 Halloween lineup
Mars said in May that its 2026 Halloween portfolio has more than 120 items. Three are new this year:
- Skittles Pop’d Creepy Crunch
- Twix Skulls
- Snickers Fun Size Pumpkins
Expanded offerings:
- M&M’s Fun Size Minis variety mix with milk chocolate and peanut butter
- Skittles Fun Size bags, now in Sour and Gummies
- Skittles Gummies Fun Size variety mix with Sour, Original and Wild Berry
- Fun Size Fruity Favorites variety mix with Skittles Original and Wild Berry and Starburst Original and FaveReds
Returning items include M&M’s Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, M&M’s Halloween Blends, Snickers Pumpkins, Twix and Snickers Ghoulish Green and Skittles Shriekers.