Mars: Gen Z is Celebrating ‘Summerween’

Mars is kicking off its 100-day countdown to Halloween with research insights that offer an “in-depth look at how U.S. consumers are celebrating the Halloween season, starting with Summerween.”

Mars said its findings show that Halloween has extended beyond a single night of trick-or-treating, “evolving into a multi-month phenomenon driven by younger generations and spooky celebrations creeping up on the calendar.”

The brand noted that 57% of U.S. adults say Halloween is no longer one day, but a full season. Further, two-thirds of Americans wish they could purchase their favorite Halloween candy year-round, with that number reaching 76% among Gen Z. The enthusiasm for the season is fueling the rise of “Summerween,” a trend nearly 60% of Gen Z is either aware of or has participated in according to Mars.

In addition to “Summerween,” research noted that Gen Z (53%) spots trends on TikTok, followed by YouTube (49%) and Instagram (48%). “However, the final transaction still overwhelmingly happens in real life. Taking their digital shopping lists to the physical shelf, 43% of Gen Z shops for Halloween treats at large-format retailers and 41% at grocery stores. This dynamic underscores that, while inspiration is increasingly virtual, tangible shopping experiences remain strong,” Mars wrote.

Regionally, preferences for candy varies. Chocolate is the reigning favorite across the U.S., but the West has the strongest preference for Halloween-themed treats (48%), while the South is all about gummies (46%).

Across all outlets, including e-commerce and vending, confectionery sales reached $55 billion in 2025, according to the National Confectioners Association. C-stores hold nearly 16% share of candy category sales by channel.

Read more about how the candy category performed in 2025 in the June 2026 NACS Magazine feature “Candy Rises Despite Challenges.”