Not to be outdone by Hershey’s “Hersheyween” rollout, candy titan Mars just unleashed its 2026 Tricks, Treats and Trends Report.
The main takeaway? If you felt mildly guilty buying snack-sized chocolate before summer even ended, Mars wants you to stop overthinking it. Culture has officially overtaken the calendar, with 57% of U.S. adults agreeing that Halloween isn’t just a 24-hour sugar rush anymore—it’s a multi-month lifestyle.
Two-thirds of Americans even admit they wish they could buy seasonal candy all year round (a number that shoots up to 76% for Gen Z).
The Chocolatester’s Favorite Stat
Tucked inside Mars’ research is a number that should warm the heart of every serious sweet tooth: 67% of U.S. adults say seasonal moments like Halloween act as a “permission slip” to enjoy a special treat.
The Chocolatester has always said that Halloween is fundamentally a candy holiday. You don’t need an excuse, a costume, or a neighborhood block party to justify good sweets—but if it helps to have a corporate-sanctioned hall pass to justify that extra chocolate bar on a random Tuesday, Mars just handed it to you. Why not?!
The Candy Bowl as “Social Currency”
Forget lawn inflatables or intricate cobwebs. According to Mars, your front-porch bowl is making a direct statement about who you are:
- 71% of adults believe the candy they hand out says something about their reputation.
- 75% agree that sharing candy helps build community.
- Translation: Nobody wants to be remembered as the house handing out plain raisins or toothbrushes. People are curating their bowls like luxury gift baskets to claim the coveted “best house on the block” title.
What’s Hitting the Shelves
Unlike some competitors who leaned hard into sour gummies and salty cheese puffs, Mars made sure chocolate stayed in the starting rotation:
- The New Contenders: TWIX Skulls and SNICKERS Pumpkins Fun Size bring the classic caramel-and-cookie crunch into festive silhouettes.
- The Seasonal Mashup: M&M’S Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie brings a warm spice profile to the candy shell lineup.
- The Returning Heavyweights: Classic SNICKERS Ghoulish Green and the ubiquitous M&M’S Halloween Blend—which Mars proudly notes took the #1 spot as the overall favorite Halloween candy brand in their survey.
- The Gimmick Entry: For the texture-obsessed (71% of shoppers say they crave crunch), they dropped SKITTLES POP’D Creepy Crunch, a freeze-dried, airy twist on the chewy original.
The Chocolatest Take
Whether you call it “Summerween” or just early grocery store merchandising, the verdict is clear: Halloween has officially stretched into the longest retail season on the calendar.
Keep your candy bowl stocked with real chocolate, avoid being the house that gives out off-brand filler, and consider your permission slip officially signed.
Over to You: What candy brand guarantees a house the “best on the block” title in your neighborhood? Tell us in the comments below!
