IRI reported flat dollar sales for 2009 Halloween candy sales (officially -0.07 percent). However, overall confectionery dollar sales have increased 3.6 percent for the most recent 52-week period. Halloween candy and gum saw a late spike in sales during the four-week period ending November 1, 2009. However, sales were soft in the early Halloween selling season this year. This would be anticipated in light of the continuing difficult economic climate.
For the most recent 52-week period and the latest four-week period, supermarkets have outpaced other trade classes with a 4.9 percent and 6.6 percent increase respectively. Drug stores grew sales 3.6% while mass outlets other than Wal-Mart grew at a 0.5 percent pace for the 52-week period.
Non-chocolate candy sales have increased 4.4 percent over the past fifty-two weeks while chocolate candy sales have grown 2.8%. Gum sales have grown 5.9 percent during the last year led by a 7.7 percent increase in sugar-free gum sales. Non-chocolate chewy candy, with an 11.5 percent increase; chocolate candy bars with a 10.5 percent increase; and licorice, with a 4.9 percent sales increase are leading the way to strong everyday sales.
According to IRI, overall Halloween candy dollar sales declined ever so slightly at a 0.07 percent rate in 2009, or basically a flat sales season. Supermarkets bucked this flat sales trend to grow Halloween sales 3.7 percent. Drug stores declined 0.7 percent and mass merchants other than Wal-Mart had a sales decline of 7.4 percent for Halloween. NCA estimates Halloween sales using a formula composed of themed product sales and large bags of fun size and snack size products.
Consumers turned to value for Halloween 2009. This can be seen by the 2.9 percent increase in Non-chocolate Halloween candy sales and the 1.6 percent decline in Chocolate Halloween candy. These sales results continue the product mix trends that began to emerge in 2008 with the difficult economy and higher prices as a result of higher raw material costs. Retailers were able to offer more favorable retail prices on non-chocolate selections for the holiday.
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