‘Summerween’ – a spooky summer twist on Halloween – has returned earlier than ever on TikTok and Instagram, with mash-ups ranging from candy charcuterie boards for horror nights to watermelon jack‑o’-lanterns and throwbacks to It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
Brands like Michael’s are on board too: this year, Michael’s launched Halloween décor under its #CodeOrange banner on Friday the 13th of June – well ahead of the traditional July/August timeline.
Consumer appetite for spook‑season sweets
According to the National Candy Association (NCA), more than half of Americans say they enjoy Halloween candy before Oct. 31. Preferred varieties include chocolate, gummies, chewy candy, candy corn, hard candy and lollipops – all often shaped like pumpkins, ghosts or bats.
Mars’ 2025 “Tricks, Treats and Trends” study (Ipsos US Omnibus) shows Gen Z and Millennials are most eager to buy candy as soon as it surfaces online or in-store. The younger generations also are more likely than their senior counterparts to purchase the following categories:
- Gummies (Gen Z 55%, Millennials 51%)
- Fruity (Gen Z 40%, Millennials 43%)
- Sour (Gen Z 41%, Millennials 37%).
Not shocking, Gen Z and Millennials are also more likely than Gen X and Baby Boomers to celebrate Halloween, according to the study.
Brand & retail playbook for Summerween success
- Launch early: Debut Halloween lines by June/July, not just July/August
- Layer formats: Offer single serves, share bags, premium formats
- Merchandise smart: Place eye-catching displays, endcaps, front-of-store activations
- Drive emotion: Align with FOMO and nostalgia - think influencer-friendly pairings (movies, cocktails, pool parties)
- Leverage social: Amplify via TikTok/Instagram (#Summerween), user generated content, seasonal recipes
- Cross‑category bundling: Couple confections with summer décor and crafting (e.g. Michael’s tie‑ins)
Brand activity: Get a head start
Mars kicked off its “Halfway to Halloween” on April 30, 2025, rolling out an extensive 2025 Halloween lineup that includes returning seasonal favorites (e.g. M&M’S Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, Snickers Pumpkins, Skittles Shriekers), new product blends, upgraded packaging and themed variety packs.
At Sweets & Snacks Expo 2025, Ferrero previewed its own Summerween-style launch with a Marshmallow Butterfinger as well as a limited-edition white-chocolate Crunch bar slated for September 2025.
What drives early candy shopping?
Walmart data from September 2024 shows:
- One in three shoppers begin Halloween shopping between June–August, and 66% have already bought or plan to buy summer-themed Halloween items.
- The top motivators? Deals (80%), novelty (65%) and spontaneity/fun (~40%), with nearly a third citing in-store impulse cues.
Is Summerween the next candy holiday?
The NCA positions Summerween as a potential “fifth major candy holiday.” With Halloween confectionery spending topping $6.4 billion annually – and consumers’ enthusiasm peaking as early as June – brands that harness novelty, impulse and season-extension may drive Summerween from niche social trend to mainstream commercial fixture.
