Berlin, Germany – October 23rd, 2024 – As Halloween approaches, sweet cravings across Europe are shifting in unexpected ways. foodora has checked its data across Austria, Hungary, Czechia, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, to uncover new candy trends, national preferences, and even some quirky, unexpected purchases.
Sweden has claimed the title of the “Sweetest Country” for 2024, with the highest sales of confectionery products.
For Halloween, Scandinavian countries overall tend to spend more on sweets compared to Central Europe, reflecting a strong preference for sugary treats. The Nordics are dedicated to spending Halloween treats in candies and chocolate while Central Europe is more into biscuits and chocolates.
Comparing data in 2023 vs 2024, there is a broader trend of chocolate sales increase for Halloween, despite the growing cost of cocoa. In Sweden, where candies were previously the top choice for Halloween in 2023, it’s now losing traction (-2%) vs chocolate gaining interest (+17%)
We can see the rising interest in chocolate for Halloween in Norway, as well as Czechia and Hungary:
Beyond that, we can see some other growing trends reflected in the table below, with increased interest in buying gums Year Over Year, and popcorn becoming a thing in Czechia and Sweden!
Halloween 2024 is also bringing some unexpected trends. In both Czechia and Hungary, there has been a surprising surge in sales of sexual wellness products—sales being up by 31% and 48% YOY, respectively—suggesting broader shifts in consumer habits during the Halloween season. Kinky season is open!
Meanwhile, Pick & Mix candy is losing popularity across several countries, possibly due to changing health preferences or concerns about convenience.
Health-conscious products like gluten-free and vegan candies are starting to gain traction, with growth in Hungary and Sweden, though these items remain niche for now.
Spending Habits Per country
foodora can share that customers, whose orders include confectionery items, tend to spend more than the average shopper. This trend is most pronounced in Czechia, Austria, and Hungary, where candy lovers tend to spend significantly more than the average.
If we look at spendings per category for Halloween, chocolate vs biscuits vs candies, most of the nations tend to spend more on chocolate and less on candies or biscuits this year.
In Norway, while candy spending has dipped slightly, chocolate sales have risen by 10%, same in Austria with +4% in spendings. In Hungary, spending on biscuits has increased by 5%, while in Finland, candy spending has grown by 11%.
Despite a general decline in average spending across all categories in Sweden, the country still ranks among the top in sweet consumption when compared to other European nations.
Halloween 2024 is shaping up to be a sweet season full of surprises. Chocolate has emerged as the treat of choice across many European markets, especially in Sweden, where it has replaced candy as the top Halloween favorite. Central Europe has seen some interesting trends, such as the rise of sexual wellness products before Halloween, while health-conscious options like gluten-free and vegan sweets are slowly finding their place in the market.
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Note to editors
Data source: GFV (Gross Food Value) on foodora from October 2023 until October 2024, for growing trends sales from 01/09/2023-13/10/2023 vs 01/09/2024-13/10/2024 have been compared. Data come from orders made on foodora markets and other businesses selling confectionery products in Austria, Hungary, Czechia, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
Media Contacts:
Anne Reisenweber – Fullstop PR
Emmanuelle Minichini – foodora Europe
emma.minichini@deliveryhero.com
About foodora foodora is a food delivery service, operating in 6 countries in Europe – Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Norway and Sweden. foodora’s mission is to deliver an amazing, fast and affordable food delivery experience connecting customers with businesses and riders, giving everyone more time to pursue what matters most to them. foodora delivers a variety of products including groceries, household products and restaurant meals in 30 minutes or less. foodora is part of Delivery Hero, the world’s leading local delivery platform.
