A new survey breaks down how Canadians decide what to buy for trick-or-treaters

A Dalhousie University survey says over 60 per cent of Canadians opt to hand out their own favourite sweets to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.

With Halloween weekend days away, a new Dalhousie University survey is breaking down how Canadians decide what to hand out to trick-or-treaters.

The data points to over 60 per cent of Canadians buying their favourite sweets at the grocery store to hand out on Halloween night.

The survey also says an overwhelming 67 per cent plan on eating the leftovers with less than five per cent anticipating throwing their candy away.

“It is interesting to see that most Canadians want to give candy they would eat themselves,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab.

“Having leftover candy after Halloween is likely something Canadians have in mind when purchasing for trick-or-treaters, so having leftovers is not necessarily seen as a burden, or an issue.”

Just over half of the participants say cutting costs is the most important factor, leading them to pull cheaper options off the shelves.

Nearly 30 per cent say giving out allergy-free treats is the top concern while only 12 per cent opt for healthier snacks.

The survey also says 37 per cent of Canadians are expecting more trick-or-treaters this year.