While the COVID-19 pandemic and government restrictions left people to their own creative devices when it came to safely sharing candy last Halloween, new survey results fromthe National Confectioners Association indicates that won’t be the case this year, thanks in large part to Millennial parents.

Eighty percent of the 1,500 U.S. adults (aged 18 and older) who took part in the survey, including 93% of Millennial parents, saidthey plan to celebrate and trick-or-treat this Halloween season.

In addition, 82% of respondents of the national survey, conducted by market research firm 210 Analytics, feel confident they will find safe and creative ways to celebrate this year, whether in-person or from a distance. (The margin of error associated with the survey was 2.5% at a 95% confidence level.)

The NCA developed a “Halloween Central” digital hub offering resources, including safety tips and festive facts, as well as highlighting survey results such as consumers’ top three favorite Halloween treats: chocolate, gummy candy and candy corn.

"The Halloween season has always been about people, traditions and celebrations,” John Downs, NCA president and CEO, said in a recent media release. “Whether people celebrate with a classic night of trick-or-treating or other creative ways of enjoying the season throughout October, this season is all about how we Halloween."

In addition, despite the particularly unique Halloween consumers experienced last year, retailers and brands still threw their weight behind festive promotions. Take a look at Path to Purchase IQ's 2020 Halloween Activation Gallery, highlighting in-store and digital activity at retail during September and October last year.