Halloween Candy—A Leading Economic Indicator
Posted on | November 1, 2011 | No Comments
Is there a correlation between the type of candy doled out and the health of the local economy? I’m sure there is research out there. The results from the empirical evidence I gathered as a kid indicated that in order to haul in the premium candy (Hershey’s chocolates vs Tootsie rolls, for example) one had to venture out to the wealthier neighborhoods. An additional benefit was that it was safer but it also decreased the creepiness/scary(dangerous) factor Halloween stands for. Houses were farther apart so it required more walking. In the end one would come home with less candy but it would be higher quality.
Some interesting statistics regarding Halloween in 2011 from here and here.
- $2.3 billion worth of candy will be distributed this Halloween. That is up 1% from last year. Is the economy slightly better than last year?
- I was surprised to learn that the average jack-o’-lantern holds 250 pieces of candy which amounts to 3 lbs of sugar. I don’t think I ever came close to getting that many pieces.
And for a truly scary statistic:
- The Census bureau says the average American consumes 25 pounds of candy a year. Yikes!
How did your kids do? How would you guess the homeowners are doing in the neighborhoods you visited? Are real estate prices going up, down or staying steady?
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