Digital Resource Provides Chocolate & Candy Consumers More Information, Options & Support This Holiday Season

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Dec 02, 2019, 09:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 90 percent of Americans say they plan to share or gift chocolate and candy during the winter holiday season, which means for some that this is the perfect time to think more actively about the role that chocolate and candy can play in a happy, balanced lifestyle. In an effort to support people engaging in conversations about managing their sugar intake, the National Confectioners Association is bringing digital tools and resources to life at Winter Holidays Central.

What's the right way to eat a candy cane?

"What would the winter holiday season be without chocolate and candy?" John Downs, NCA president and CEO, said. "Whether you love candy canes or prefer foil-wrapped chocolate coins, chocolate and candy can be an important part of holiday celebrations, and we are committed to helping people make informed choices about how they enjoy these seasonal treats."

Winter Holidays Central is full of resources focused on balance to help families celebrate the winter holidays while enjoying their favorite treats. The online resource provides stats, tips and festive facts to help families enjoy chocolate and candy as a special treat during these months.

Festive facts on Winter Holidays Central:

Most Americans plan to gift chocolate or candy this holiday season. The treats most often gifted in stockings are foil-wrapped chocolates, followed by candy canes and small boxes of chocolates.
This holiday season will have more options in package sizes of 200 calories or less than ever before. Most people in the U.S. enjoy chocolate and candy two to three times per week, averaging about 40 calories per day and about one teaspoon of added sugar per day from confectionery items. As the industry gets closer to its goal of providing half of its treats in packages with 200 calories or less, families have even more treating options this holiday season.
Americans are divided on the right way to enjoy a candy cane. NCA's survey showed that 58 percent of Americans prefer to start on the straight end when eating a candy cane, while 30 percent start on the curved end and 12 percent of people break it into pieces.

Winter Holidays Central is part of the confectionery industry's commitment to helping consumers manage their sugar intake by providing more information, options and support. This effort by America's leading chocolate and candy companies will help people make informed choices about how they treat by offering smaller pack sizes, clear calorie labels and easily accessible information.

For more information about chocolate and candy during the winter holiday season, as well as safety tips, sweet insights and fun graphics, visit AlwaysATreat.com/WinterHolidaysCentral and follow NCA on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About the National Confectioners Association (NCA)
The National Confectioners Association is the trade organization that advances, protects and promotes chocolate, candy, gum and mints, and the companies that make these special treats. As the leading association for the U.S. confectionery industry, NCA helps ensure the public understands and appreciates the unique role that chocolate and candy can play in a happy, balanced lifestyle. Confections are produced in all 50 states, creating jobs for approximately 54,000 workers in more than 1,300 manufacturing facilities across the country. For every job created in confectionery manufacturing, another ten are supported in related industries. In total, more than 607,000 American jobs are supported by the U.S. confectionery industry. America's leading chocolate and candy companies support the Always A Treat Initiative, a commitment to transparency, portion guidance and choice, and consumer education. Learn more at CandyUSA.com, or follow NCA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact: Carly Schildhaus
202-534-1440
[email protected]

SOURCE National Confectioners Association