Halloween has moved beyond Oct. 31, extending excitement for treats into the summer months, or Summerween, a cultural moment that has driven Mars’ production and innovation strategy to meet demand for the holiday, according to the confectionery giant’s 2026 Tricks, Treats and Trends report released today.
More than half (57%) of US adults view Halloween as a full season instead of one day, and 66% would buy their favorite Halloween candy year-round, according to Mars. Summerween’s popularity still has room for growth across demographics, but awareness is driven largely by Gen Z, with 30% of Gen Z having already participated and 59% aware of it, according to the report.
What is Summerween?
Summerween began as a fictional holiday in the television show Gravity Falls where the annual celebrations take place on the second to last Friday of June. Since 2020, the concept of Summerween was adopted by fans as an informal summer take on Halloween.
According to Mars' report, Summerween is 100 days until Halloween.
“More than half of US adults view Halloween as a multi-month experience, and with the rise of Summerween celebrations, the category is adapting to a larger potential sales window,” said Tim LeBel, chief Halloween officer and chief customer officer at Mars Snacking North America.
For Mars, the extended Halloween season means earlier production, which LeBel says starts in the spring so products can hit shelves in the summer.
Contrastingly, seasonal confectionery demand is declining in parts of Europe. Nestlé announced the closing of its Hungary-based chocolate factory, which produces hollow chocolate figures for Smarties, KitKat and Milkybar. The plant exports to more than 20 countries worldwide. The drop in demand in recent years resulted in less than 3% of Nestlé Hungary’s revenue and 0.4% of its production volume.
Mars’ innovation strategy balances nostalgia and novelty
Mars’ Halloween launches fall into two proverbial treat buckets: nostalgic classics and sensory-driven novelty.Among popular Halloween candies like Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (The Hershey Co.) and KitKat (Nestlé), M&M’s is viewed as the No. 1 Halloween candy among brands surveyed, with Reese’s and Snickers as close contenders.
For its classics, Mars launched seasonal twists on its core brands, including Snickers and Twix Ghoulish Green, which feature a bright green caramel filling. The color variation underscores consumer demand for seasonal colors, shapes and flavors, according to the report.
The M&M’s Halloween Blend features orange and black pieces and plays into nostalgia and instant recognition as a leading Halloween candy.
Twix Skulls features a skull-shaped Twix bar, while Snickers offers a pumpkin shape. Both come in a fun size, and blend novelty and familiarity.
Among Mars’ novelty launches is Skittles Pop’D Creepy Crunch, which freeze dries the iconic Skittles candy with Halloween-themed flavors such as Ghostly Lime, Cursed Apple, Blood Orange, Beastly Blackberry and Red Raspberry. Skittles Shriekers is the brand’s take on Halloween-themed sour flavors in a fun size for trick-or-treating.
The line is Mars’ response to demand for texture, sensory experiences and “extreme” flavors, according to LeBel.
TikTok drives discovery, but stores drive purchases
Freeze-dried candy went viral on TikTok, underscoring its short-form video appeal and social media’s influence on product discovery, LeBel noted.
More than half (53%) of Gen Z consumers discover Halloween candy trends on TikTok, while 49% use YouTube and 48% use Instagram, according to the report.
But when it comes to purchasing Halloween candy, consumers look to brick-and-mortar stores. Only 10% purchase through TikTok Shop or other social commerce platforms, whereas 43% buy Halloween candy at large-format retailers and 41% purchase it at grocery stores, according to Mars.
For retailers, “when online excitement peaks, shelves need to be ready,” LeBel advises.
Halloween-ready means stocking products earlier, especially given Summerween’s mainstream awareness among Gen Z, LeBel said.
With consumers viewing Halloween as a whole season, retailers should stock both novelty and classic offerings, LeBel suggested. This is supported by Mars’ findings that 72% of consumers say Halloween needs iconic candy brands, 71% want textural experiences and 58% want extreme flavors.
Although discussions around wellness and healthier eating have influenced innovation, Halloween remains resilient as a season of indulgence.
More than half (67%) of consumers say seasonal occasions like Halloween are a “permission slip” to enjoy a special treat, according to the report.
