WASHINGTON -- As Halloween approaches, nearly 80% of parents report that they have a plan in place to help their children make smart decisions when it comes to the enjoyment of treats, according to the results of a new national survey by the National Confectioners Association (NCA). But what are the details of that "plan"?
More than three-quarters of Americans will hand out candy to trick or treaters this year, and many others will participate in community-sponsored Halloween events, display a seasonal candy bowl or attend a Halloween party.
NCA projects that retail sales of Halloween candy in 2015 will be $2.6 billion, a boost to the U.S. economy that helps support 55,000 manufacturing jobs and hundreds of thousands of jobs in related industries.
More than 60% of respondents prefer to hand candy to trick or treaters, rather than having the ghosts and goblins help themselves, and nearly 60% of those surveyed believe that up to two pieces is just the right amount per household.
Halloween continues to be the top candy-giving holiday with 86% of people gifting or sharing chocolate or other candy. Seven in 10 people believe that holidays like Halloween are meant for enjoying candy, and that it is important to do so in moderation.
Parents say they support the notion that sharing is a critical piece of the Halloween celebration—80% report that they enjoy some of their children's Halloween bounty by either sneaking it when the kids aren't looking (23%) or by instituting a house rule that it must be shared (57%).
NCA's survey revealed that 81% of Americans support the notion that candy is a treat and 75% agree that it is OK to enjoy seasonal chocolate or candy. Almost 20% of consumers say they are more likely to buy seasonal candy in smaller portion sizes than they were five years ago.
A full 70% of people say chocolate is their favorite Halloween treat, followed by candy corn (13%), chewy candy (6%) and gummy candy (5%). Despite chocolate's popularity, most Americans (63%) say they stock their trick-or-treat candy bowls with a mix of chocolate and non-chocolate, so that they can be sure to have something everyone will like. When it comes to selecting candies in shapes like spiders, eyeballs and brains to inspire seasonal celebrations, parents are 24% more likely than non-parents to pick creepy candy over other Halloween themes.
Nearly four in five parents (79%) encourage moderation by keeping tabs on their children's candy consumption following Halloween, but they take different approaches. Some limit their children to a certain number of pieces per day (35%), a total number of pieces overall (14%) or a general amount of calories (9%) and then take the rest away; 21% opt to take responsibility for the candy and dole it out as appropriate.
According to NCA's seasonal survey, more than 90% of parents discuss or plan to discuss balance and moderation with their children relative to their candy consumption, and while most report having these conversations year-round, many use the holiday as a starting point.
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