Trick or Treat yourself? Most can’t resist sneaking Halloween candy

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

CANDY DISAPPEARS FASTER THAN A GHOST ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT — AND AMERICANS ADMIT THEY CAN’T STOP SNEAKING FROM THEIR STASH. 

A SURVEY OF 2,000 ADULTS FROM C-V-S PHARMACY FOUND THAT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN EATS THROUGH THEIR HALLOWEEN CANDY STASH TWICE BEFORE TRICK-OR-TREATERS EVEN ARRIVE.

ONE IN FOUR CONFESSED THEY’VE HAD TO RESTOCK THREE TIMES OR MORE (26%).

CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH, RESULTS SHOWED THAT ABOUT A THIRD IDENTIFY AS EARLY PLANNERS WHO STOCK UP AND DECORATE BY OCT. 1, WHILE NEARLY AS MANY ADMIT TO BEING LAST-MINUTE SHOPPERS.

AND HALF OF THOSE WHO DECORATE INSIST THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST-LOOKING HOUSE ON THE BLOCK (51%).

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ARE YOU ALREADY PREPPED FOR HALLOWEEN?

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by CVS Pharmacy and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sep. 11 and Sep. 15, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.