Day: June 28, 2022

Half of Americans Hide their Sugary Sweets in Secret Stash

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Shopkick’s National Candy Month data reveals chocolate is king; Reese’s and M&Ms reign supreme

With National Candy Month coming to a close, it is a perfect time to reflect on the who, what and why of the great candy buys. Shopkick, a leading shopping rewards app, asked America all about their favorite confectionery and found that brand-loyal consumers are purchasing between $5-$10 worth of chocolate a few times a month from their grocery store.

In an online survey of over 15,000 confection-buying consumers, conducted from June 12 – June 16, Shopkick discovered sweet insights into America’s candy preferences. 

Key Insights Include:

  • Loyalty Above All: Even amidst overall wavering brand loyalty, nearly all consumers (90 percent) have pledged allegiance to their favorite candy brands.
  • Sugary Secrets: Turns out, 46 percent of consumers have a secret stash for their sweet treats.
  • Heart Full of Chocolate: Chocolate dominates as the favorite candy category among the majority of consumers (90 percent). Reese’s and M&M’s are tied for consumers’ favorite chocolate candy (57 percent respectively), followed by Hershey’s (48 percent) and Snickers and KitKats (47 percent each).
  • Spread the Love: For the consumers that do not reach for chocolate first, the next most sought category of candy is sweet (66 percent), followed by sour (38 percent), minty (28 percent) and spicy (11 percent).
  • Fan-Favorites: The top pick amongst consumers for sweet candy is Starburst (55 percent) followed closely by Skittles (53 percent). Consumers’ favorite sour candy is Sour Patch Kids (73 percent), their favorite minty candy is York Peppermint Patties (64 percent) and their favorite spicy candy is Hot Tamales (52 percent).
  • The Need for Sweets: While 87 percent of consumers buy candy to satisfy their sweet tooth, some crave it more than others. Other consumers buy candy a few times a month (36 percent), a few times a week (22 percent) and once a week (20 percent).
  • Cost of Confection: When it comes to how much consumers are willing to spend on sweet treats, about half of consumers (47 percent) plan to spend between $5 and $10. Other consumers plan to spend less than $5 (39 percent), between $11 and $20 (12 percent) and between $21 and $50 (2 percent).
  • Shopping For Sugary Goodness: Consumers are eager to fulfill their sugar fix, with the majority shopping in-store to do so. Ninety-three percent of consumers purchase candy at grocery stores, followed by candy and convenience stores (69 percent), events like movies and concerts (14 percent) and online and through subscription services (8 percent).
  • Candy Consumption Whereabouts: The majority of consumers’ favorite place to enjoy their confectionary treats is from the comfort of their own home (89 percent). Other consumers snack on sugar while traveling in cars, airplanes, trains and boats (73 percent) and at the movie theater or drive-in (34 percent).

Celebration of Pride

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On Thursday, June 9th Shopkick attended the Brand Innovators Pride & Inclusivity Summit hosted by LVMH luxury brands and The Bar, an LVMH Employee Resource Group (ERG) with members who self-identify as part of the queer community along with allies. The ERG meets regularly to promote awareness, empowerment, and career advancement. As part of their support, The Bar will march together in the upcoming NYC Pride parade this Sunday. 

The summit audience was inspired by dozens of companies including Clarks, Dove, and the event hosts, LVMH, sharing how they are promoting inclusivity and awareness in their organizations. After having the privilege of attending the event, we wanted to document a few of our key takeaways. 

Reach Out

For Tara McRae, Clarks CMO, inclusivity is about community outreach. The moderator posed the question, “how does a 200+-year-old shoe brand founded in the UK maintain relevancy?” Clarks weighed in that they remain fresh and relevant with several initiatives, spotlighting their ambassador program. Recently, Clarks held a contest where the winning shoe design was produced and sold to key retailers. Clarks also hosts a mentor/mentee program where both parties support each other and share their own extensive knowledge regarding inclusivity.  

In a separate conversation, Esther Whalte Cisneros of the Estee Lauder Company shared the advice: “Start small.” “Our products must look like our consumers, so we started with our skin tones.” ELC also added initiatives such as recruiting at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s). 

Tune In

Revry is a streaming network that highlights LGBTQ-first TV. Paul Kontonis, Chief Marketing Officer, shared that Revry is a “free, queer TV that you just might lean into more than just during the month of June! Marketers like Lexus and McDonalds share their messages all year long.” On Revry, you’ll find movies, series, and live TV. You can tune in on Roku, AppleTV, DirectTV, Samsung, and more! 

End Hair Discrimination 

Studies found that some children as young as 5 years old have experienced negative comments and discrimination about their hair. Erin Goldson, brand manager at Unilever and Dove Hair, is helping to change lives by promoting legislation (the CROWN Act Petition) on the state level with 500,000 signatures. Help make a change for our children by signing the CROWN act petition here.  

Shopkick Pride Month 2022

To continue standing as members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community, Shopkick and Trax launched the first Employee Resource Group, the LGBTQIA+ ERG! What month could be more fitting than June, the month we raise the rainbow flag up high and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community for its historic accomplishments and collective efforts to continue to advocate for a more inclusive world. This year, to show support, banners were created, virtual meeting backdrops were implemented, company-wide guest speakers were invited, pride-related offers were in-app, and donations to LGBTQ+ organizations were made.  

Katrina Kibben, one of our guest speakers and CEO/founder of Three Ears Media, spoke about how to build belonging in the workplace, especially regarding the proper pronoun usage. A critical part of helping people thrive at work is creating a safe space to collaborate and connect. Building belonging at work starts with the employee experiences, taking small steps that lead to more inclusive communication, and taking notice of the gendered language that is intertwined into everyday speech. 

Creating a safe workspace also starts with understanding that pronouns mean something different to everyone. Pronouns are a special and unique way people identify how they feel in this world. To build an inclusive workplace, it’s important to understand what pronouns are and why they are important. If you want to learn more about building belonging in the workplace, check out Katrinas site here. 

For the pride-related in-app offers, Shopkick collaborated with brands and retailers like Ulta Beauty, QVC & HSN, Kohls.com, and Walmart for pride gift guides, apparel, and book lists. 

 Shopkick is also thrilled to announce we have donated to The Trevor Project in honor of Pride Month. The Trevor Project is an American nonprofit organization that focuses on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and question youth. To donate or learn more about The Trevor Project, follow this link. 

By: Stella Araya-Weil