Utah leads the U.S. in candy consumption

For devout Mormons, sugar ‘only allowed indulgence’

NEW YORK— A push by Hershey Co. to gather data on candy-eating habits in the U.S. has uncovered the sweettooth capital of America: Utah.

The state buys confections at the highest rate in the nation — almost double the U.S. average — Hershey researchers found. Twizzlers are especially popular in the Salt Lake City area, according to the company.

More than 60 per cent of Utah’s residents are Mormons, who typically abstain from alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.

With those vices frowned upon, candy is an acceptable treat, said Glenn Christensen, a marketing professor at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management. Sweets are ubiquitous at family gatherings and church events, he said.

“We don’t drink alcohol, we don’t smoke, we avoid coffee — but we certainly do sugar,” Christensen said. “It’s the only allowed indulgence.”

In addition to a big Mormon population, Utah has a bountiful number of candy’s biggest fans — children. In 2013, 31 per cent of the state’s residents were under 18, compared with 23 per cent for the national average.

Hershey researchers also found that customers in Minnesota buy six-packs of Hershey bars at higher rates than any other Americans, particularly in the summer. The reason: s’mores. Minnesotans flock to the state’s lakes and campgrounds during the warmer months, according to Bob Goodpaster, Hershey’s chief global knowledge officer.

Hershey’s push to better analyze its sales data began in 2008. Hershey wanted to make sure it maintained its influence with retailers and have a better command of its data