Is your sweet tooth ready? November 4, is National Candy Day! It seems like we should celebrate this day on Halloween, but I love candy so I don’t mind having another day to enjoy it! My dentist might disagree, though…
I started wondering about where candy came from and found a few interesting facts. According to the appropriately-named candyhistory.net, “candy” is an English word that’s been used since the 13th century. The word is derived from the Arabic word “qandi,” which means “made of sugar.”
The ancient Egyptians combined fruits and nuts with honey, while the Greek people used honey to make candied fruits and flowers. Hard candies became popular in the 19th century, and the first chocolate bars were made in 1847.
I couldn’t find any information about why November 4 is designated National Candy Day, but we can still celebrate and eat our leftover Halloween treats!
What’s your favorite candy? Leave a comment and let me know!
When Do Panel Members Buy Candy?
National Consumer Panel members love candy, too! Panel members scanned more than 21,000 unique barcodes for candy during the past year.
You might expect that October would be the month with the most candy purchases; I certainly did. But, to my surprise, it’s not even in the top five! Here are the five months with the most candy purchases by NCP panel members:
- December
- April
- March
- November
- February
October actually comes in sixth on the list, with the summer months of August, June and July at the bottom.
Candy is Popular in These States
Just for fun, we also looked at where candy is purchased the most. Here are the top five states where panel members buy the most candy on average:
- South Dakota
- North Dakota
- West Virginia
- Nebraska
- Utah
Our data also shows that panel members in the Baby Boomer generation buy the most candy on average, while members of Gen Z buy the least amount.
Scan Your Candy Purchases
Whether you indulge your sweet tooth today or not, remember to scan your treats! Candy is often something we buy on impulse at the gas station, convenience store or while on-the-go, so it’s easy to forget these small purchases. If you buy loose candy, you can report it using the Non-Barcoded Items list and the candy/nuts/seeds category in the NCPMobile app or refer to the Barcode Reference Booklet if you use NCP’s handheld scanner.
If you’re not currently a panel member, you can learn more and sign up to participate here. As a member, you’ll be able to share your shopping opinions, play our fun, interactive games like Treasure Trove and Halloween Haunt, and earn points by taking surveys. Panel Members can redeem points for gift cards and other items.
A few days ago we asked a question on our Facebook page: “Is there a candy you loved as a child that’s no longer around today?” Several people mentioned rock candy and Marathon bars (discontinued in 1981), and others reminisced about wax lips and Tart ‘n Tiny candy, which apparently has made a return!
Regards,
Taylor
Being a mom of 5 kids I buy mostly thru the year for the months of valentines Christmas and Easter an q lil on Halloween b/c I’m always sending in big candy bags for each holiday I probly spend about 2500 a year maybe more.
Interesting data! I would have guessed December at the top of the list with variety of holidays/entertaining/parties there are so many more “candy” days. I thought February would have been higher on the list as Mardi Gras, Shrove/Fat Tuesday, Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day usually celebrate with plenty of sweets! No surprise about March/April though I am curious if it changes year to year based on the positioning of Easter/End of Lent. Thanks for the interesting article!
I love this post! Chocolate.chocolate,chocolate is my middle name! Lol this for the information on one of my favorite things (-;