America’s Halloween candy preferences identified state-by-state: report

There’s no denying candy is a central part of Halloween.

But some candy brands are more liked than others. Instacart – a digital grocery delivery and pick-up service – says it has determined which candies are most loved by Americans, based on sale data from October 2021.

The e-commerce retail network, which is partnered with supermarkets, department stores and wholesale clubs throughout the country, reports that 658 tons of candy were sold last October, according to internal calculations.

Americans reportedly bought 116 tons of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and it’s the only brand to pass the 100-ton mark, Instacart found.

M&M’s were the next top-purchased brand with 94 tons of milk chocolate M&M’s sold and 92 tons of Peanut M&M’s sold.

Snickers and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate were tied with 65 tons followed by Twizzlers with 56 tons, Kit Kat with 49 tons, Twix with 48 tons, Starburst with 37 tons and Milky Way with 36 tons.

Three out of the 10 “top candies” Instacart sold in October 2021 stood out in the U.S. and each one is made with chocolate.

Two states favored milk chocolate M&M’s, 15 states favored Peanut M&M’s and 33 states favored Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

M&M’s: Hawaii and New Hampshire

Peanut M&M’S: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming

Americans also have differing preferences on red licorice, lollipops, sweet disk candies, gummy candies and malted milk balls, and they’re generally divided between Red Vines and Twizzlers, Dum Dums and Charms Blow-Pops, Smarties and SweetTarts, Haribo and Trolli Gummies, and Whoppers and Milk Duds.

Instacart’s Halloween candy report identified five “sweet-toothed” states as having the “highest share of candy purchases,” which included Utah, Idaho, Alaska, Montana and Washington.

The five states that have the lowest share of candy purchases were Florida, Delaware, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina.