(ABC4) – Have you bought Easter candy yet? You aren’t alone – recent data shows the average American spends about $20 on Easter candy each year.
Some years, Easter even ranks as the top candy-selling holiday of the entire year.
Candy options range from the iconic marshmallow Peeps (which partnered with Pepsi this year for a colorful drink) and colorful jellybeans to the egg-shaped Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and rabbit-shaped chocolates, there is often a debate on which Easter candy is the best.
Lehi-based Pattern, a global eCommerce company, recently conducted a new data analysis on Easter candy to answer that question and predict which candies will be top-sellers in 2021 by using market demand for 2019 and 2020.
What the data shows
The company found Cadbury eggs, formed of a milk chocolate shell with a soft fondant center, saw a 499% increase in demand leading up to Easter 2020 – more than any other candy. Pattern says it expects it to be the most popular Easter candy again this year in the U.S.
Reese’s Eggs were a close second, seeing a 470% increase in demand in 2020, followed by Starburst Jelly Beans at 321%.
Peeps, likely one of the most iconic Easter treats, was only the eighth most popular, seeing a 176% change in demand in 2020.
The three least sought after candies were Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, and KitKat.
Which Easter candy is most popular?
After examining the deman for different Easter candy on Amazon, Pattern found that in the weeks leading up to Easter – specifically March 15 thorugh April 15, jelly beans are the most sought-after candy.
Over 75,000 Americans searched for jelly beans on Amazon, edging out Hershey and M&Ms, according to Pattern.
While Cadbury Eggs may have the highest demand, just over 14,000 consumers searched for the product.
One of the least-sought Easter candy was Reese’s Bunny. The graph below, courtesy of Pattern, shows the demand for other Easter candies.
Did COVID-19 impact Easter candy sales in 2020?
According to Pattern, a majority of Easter candies saw a greater demand in 2020 than 2019.
Cadbury Eggs saw a 246% increase in demand, just ahead of Reese’s Bunny at 245%. Pattern found Robin’s Eggs – the Whoppers that look like the eggs of a robin – and Reese’s Eggs also saw large increases in demand at 229% and 200%, respectively.
What barely saw an increase in demand? Peeps, according to the data. You can see a full breakdown of the change in demand below, courtesy of Pattern.
This data could be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as well – the data is based on Amazon shopping trends. Because many Americans were at home amid pandemic shutdowns and avoiding stores, Easter shopping on the online platform could have increased.
For more Easter candy data, visit Pattern.
While it is too early to tell what will be the top Easter candy this year, we want to hear from you – what is your favorite Easter candy? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
