Mars Canada's Spooktacular Report finds 1 in 5 don't know any of their neighbours well, but simplified prep and a shared bowl of candy can bring communities back together for what matters most

TORONTO, Oct. 19, 2026 /CNW/ -- Halloween is one of the most magical times of the year, bonding our neighbourhoods through doorstep hellos and shared festive traditions. According to Mars Canada's third annual Spooktacular Trends Report, community anticipation builds long before October: 42% of Canadians say they get excited about Halloween well in advance, but not everyone is prepared quite as early: 46% say they pick up the bulk of their candy less than two weeks before the big day. With 1 in 5 (21%) of Canadians saying they don't know any of their neighbours well, Mars is simplifying holiday prep so that no matter when Canadians prep, they still have time for what matters most: being a Good NeighBAR and celebrating together this season.

"This year's Spooktacular Trends Report revealed that nearly half of Canadians consider Halloween one of their favourite holidays," says Ellen Thompson, Minister of Trick-or-Treat and General Manager, Mars Snacking Canada. "Mars shares this passion, which is why we start our seasonal planning two years in advance to deliver moments of Halloween happiness that resonate across the country. Whether you're filling a bowl to welcome trick-or-treaters or hosting a local event, we want to help you be a Good NeighBAR and bring lasting joy to your community every season."

Findings from Mars' Spooktacular Trends Report show that this year, Canadians are embracing the holiday bigger and brighter than ever before, with 47% agreeing Halloween feels like more of a cultural moment than it did just a few years ago. Nearly half (48%) of Canadians consider Halloween one of their favourite holidays – led by Gen Z (63%) and Millennials (57%) – and 49% agree that Halloween is no longer just a single day, but an entire season of festive fun.

With this increased excitement, however, comes heightened pressure: over half of Canadians (51%) feel rising expectations surrounding Halloween. More and more, social media plays a role: 63% of Gen Z who feel increased expectations cite social media as a driving factor, with online comparison taking away from the spirit of what makes the season so special.

Ultimately, Mars believes what matters most about the holiday is its power to connect us: most Canadians (63%) say they know two or fewer of their neighbours well, and younger generations are the least connected to their community at 78% of Gen Z, compared to 72% of Millennials, 60% of Gen X, and 47% of Boomers. Proving that the most meaningful parts of Halloween stem from simple moments of connection, an overwhelming 3 in 4 of Canadians agree that sharing candy is a small but meaningful way to bond (78%) and see a candy bowl as a warm sign of welcome (76%), and 64% say a shared bowl brings people together like few other things can.

To champion community connection and ensure Canadians can remain focused on the most meaningful parts of Halloween, Mars Canada is donating 'Mars Good NeighBAR Kits' to select local event hosts, providing costumes, decor, and full-size treats to help streamline celebrations and give local organizers time back for what counts.

With the recent addition of Kellanova brands, Mars Snacking is also proud to be a one-stop shop for an even wider range of trick-or-treating essentials this season, spanning chocolate, confectionery, and salty snacks. This makes it easy for every host to stock up on fan favourites like MARS^® Halloween Chocolate Assorted Fun Size Candies, SKITTLES^® and STARBURST^® Fruity Halloween Fun Size Candies, and PRINGLES^® Halloween Original Snack Stack Chips, equipping hosts with the variety to win everyone over and feel like the best house on their block.

Whether prepping weeks in advance or grabbing treats from their favourite retailer in the final stretch, hosts can rely on Mars to make planning easier this year so they can focus on building connections and sharing Halloween happiness in their neighbourhood. Canadians can also look out for Mars Good NeighBAR Kits at local community events – or build one of their own using Mars treats to pass on the festive cheer.

Don't forget to check out Mars Canada's 2026 Spooktacular Trends Report to learn more about how the country celebrates the season. Happy Halloween!

Ipsos Survey Methodology
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Mars. For this survey, a sample of 1,000 Canadians from the Ipsos i-Say panel were interviewed from September 29 to October 1, 2026. Quotas and weighting were employed to ensure that the sample's composition reflects the overall population according to the latest Canadian census information. The precision of online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the results are accurate to within +2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had all Canadian adults been polled. Credibility intervals are wider among subsets of the population. 

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN^®, PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, CESAR^®, M&M'S^®, SNICKERS^®, PRINGLES^®, CHEEZ-IT^®, and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH^® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles -- Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom -- inspire our more than 170,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet. 

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. 

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated