The day when sugar levels spike in millions of kids (and adults) is fast approaching, and whether you prefer chewy, chocolatey, sour, or sweet, Halloween is a perfect time to indulge in a few treats. We thought we’d head to the gas station convenience store for some under-the-radar stats on just how big candy is at gas stations… all year round!
The gas station convenience store is one of the most popular places to satisfy your sweet tooth, generating more than $6 billion in annual sales. Candy’s one of the top-selling categories in the whole store. And according to a recent GasBuddy survey, nearly 80 percent of consumers purchase snacks (including candy) most frequently at convenience stores when compared with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Have you ever walked into a gas station convenience store and wandered through the candy aisle, only to impulsively grab a chocolate bar before heading to the register? You’re not alone. According to candy company Mars Wrigley, more than half of candy purchases are decided in-store and figuring out which candy bar to purchase takes 14 seconds on average. Given the ‘grab-and-go’ nature at gas stations, the pairing of candy and convenience only makes sense.
The popularity of candy at gas station convenience stores was made known in our in-app contest last year, ‘Battle of the Snacks,’ where we asked GasBuddies to vote for their favorites amongst 64 common food and beverage products found in convenience stores, 16 of them being candy items. Three out of the four candies to make the ‘Sweet 16’ were chocolates, and the winner of the bracket-style competition was Reese’s with more than 34,000 votes per round.
So have you gone to your local gas station convenience store recently to pick up some sweet treats? Let us know some of your favorite candies in the comments!