As Halloween nears, price will become a key factor for candy companies as the category continues to grow even as consumers purchase less of it. Numerator data shows that U.S. candy sales increased nearly $1.8B over the past year while unit sales fell by more than 770 million, reinforcing a longer-term divide: since 2019, category sales have grown 65% compared with just 4% growth in units.
Candy’s growth is becoming increasingly dependent on price not consumption. Households purchased an average of 116 candy units over the past year, down more than seven units—the category’s largest annual decline in six years. Meanwhile, average spend per unit has risen 59% since 2019, helping sustain dollar growth despite declining consumption.
Sugary candy is reshaping the candy aisle as chocolate consumption stalls. Unit sales for sugary candy have grown 16% since 2019, while chocolate has remained flat. Gummies have generated most of that growth, with alternative formats such as sugar-free, low-carb and freeze-dried candy also gaining ground. Smarties, Albanese, BUBS Swedish Candy, and Hot Tamales are among the brands benefiting from that growth.
Millennials are driving sugary candy growth without abandoning chocolate. Non-chocolate units per Millennial household have increased 20% since 2019—the fastest growth of any generation—while their chocolate consumption has remained stable. Chocolate declines instead are coming from other generations.
GLP-1 households are accelerating the broader decline in candy consumption. Over the last six months ending Aug. 31, GLP-1 households purchased 5.4 fewer candy units per household, compared with a national decline of 4.5 units.
