This Halloween, trick-or-treating could be down 41%

New data predicts that trick-or-treating could be down approximately 41% for households with children under 14 due to COVID-19.

The report, published by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, also found:

• Households handing out candy may decrease by half in 2020.
• Candy sales will likely decrease as 42% of households plan to consume less candy this year.
• 47% of households are not likely to participate in any Halloween activity.
• Year-over-year candy sales will be dramatically down in 2020.

“…our survey suggests that COVID-19 will generate a chilling effect on the fun social activities we all traditionally enjoy during this time.”

According to Trey Malone, report author and assistant professor of agriculture, food, and resource economics at Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, COVID-19 continues to disrupt food systems.

“As we move into the holiday season, our survey suggests that COVID-19 will generate a chilling effect on the fun social activities we all traditionally enjoy during this time,” Malone says.

“I would expect candy to be widely available, but fewer social events to go on as planned. One of our more surprising findings is how so many households have yet to decide exactly what they will do this year,” he says.

“I’m not sure we’ve ever seen so much uncertainty in our holiday planning this close to the season.”

The data used are from the Pandemic Food Consumer and Stigma Survey fielded by Qualtrics.

Brandon R. McFadden of the applied economics and statistics department at the University of Delaware, cowrote the report along with Delaware high school students Eleanor R. Messer and Kabir Advani.

The Center for Behavioral and Experimental Agri-Environmental and Risk Management Research through the US Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture funded the work.

Source: Michigan State University

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