As Easter approaches, Americans eagerly anticipate the holiday, and the numbers prove it. According to the National Confectioners Association, confectionery sales for Easter are anticipated to exceed $5 billion.
This figure is significant because 92% of Americans who celebrate Easter include chocolate and candy in their celebrations, while 85% of individuals who create Easter baskets for others include these seasonal treats.
“The Easter season signals the start of spring – and is a perfect showcase of the continued excitement consumers have for incorporating chocolate and candy into their special occasions. No matter what treats they prefer, Americans can agree that every celebration is sweeter with chocolate and candy.”
What You Need to Know
Consumers’ strong enthusiasm for Easter candy demonstrates their understanding that chocolate and candy are treats.
Most people in the United States enjoy chocolate and candy two to three times weekly, averaging about 40 calories and just one teaspoon of added sugar per day.
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How Consumers Like to Treat for the Easter Season
- Every-bunny has a favorite: Add some sweetness to any Easter basket with some of Americans’ top Easter treats:
- Chocolate eggs or bunnies.
- Jelly beans.
- Candy-coated eggs.
- Marshmallow candy.
- Hop to it: Engage in the biggest debate of the season by asking friends and family how they eat their chocolate Easter bunnies. Americans are divided: 78% start with the bunny’s ears, 16% jump in to eat the feet first, and just 6% of people go right for the tail.
- Egg-cellent options: What’s the best kind of chocolate Easter egg? 42% of people want a solid chocolate egg, 35% of consumers are looking for a filling on their first bite, and 23% of Americans are happiest with a hollow treat.
Quick Facts About Easter Candy
- The first chocolate eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th century and are still one of the most popular treats associated with Easter.
- Easter is the third best-selling confectionery holiday, behind only Christmas and Halloween.
- The Easter Bunny is a sign of new life, as are the brightly colored eggs it brings.
Quick Facts About the Easter Bunny
- German settlers told stories of a white hare who left brightly colored eggs for all good children on Easter morning.
- Early American children built nests of leaves and sticks in their gardens for the Easter Hare to fill with colorful eggs.
- By the 19th century, the Easter Hare had become the Easter Bunny in America and was known to surprise children with baskets full of goodies on Easter morning.