Why trick-or-treaters may bag less chocolate this year

Ghouls, goblins ... and gummy bears.

- BY DEE-ANN DURBIN

Trick-or-treaters may find more fruity candy than chocolate among their Halloween handouts this year. That should be fine with younger consumers, who have been gravitating for years toward non-chocolate candies like gummies, freeze-dried treats and other sweets that come in a variety of shapes, colors and flavors.

Last year, 52% of the total volume of Halloween candy sold in the U.S. was made of chocolate, according to Dan Sadler, a principal for client insights at the market research company Circana.

But in the 12 weeks ending Oct. 5, chocolate accounted for 44% of the Halloween candy sold in the U.S.