The proportion of Canadians who enjoy pumpkin spice beverages has increased from 44% in 2022 to 52% this year.
Vancouver, BC [October 29, 2024] – Compared to two years ago, fewer Canadians are convinced about celebrating every Halloween on the weekend, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 41% of Canadians agree with moving Halloween to the last Saturday in October, down three points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2022.
More than two-in-five Canadians (44%, +5) disagree with changing Halloween’s date, while 15% (-2) are undecided.
Support for moving Halloween to the last Saturday in October is highest in Quebec (45%), followed by Ontario (41%), British Columbia (also 41%), Atlantic Canada (40%), Alberta (37%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (34%).
The survey also asked Canadians about the suitability of specific Halloween costumes for children and adults. More than half of Canadians believe children’s costumes that represent an ethnic stereotype (58%, -2) or that change the colour of the wearer’s skin (53%, -4) are inappropriate.
More than two-in-five Canadians also believe three other kinds of children’s costumes are inappropriate: those that require toy or replica weapons (48%, -3), those that refer to a culture that is not the wearer’s own (42%, -1) and those that depict a social stereotype (such as a jailbird or vagabond) (41%, +1).
The perceptions of Canadians are similar when the same garments are imagined on adults. Three-in-five (60%, =) think costumes that represent an ethnic stereotype are inappropriate, and more than half (54%, -6) feel the same way about costumes that alter the adult’s skin colour.
More than two-in-five Canadians find fault in adult costumes that refer to a culture that is not the adult’s own (46%, -4), incorporate toy or replica weapons (45%, -5) or represent a social stereotype (41%, =).
“Majorities of Canadians whose ancestry is Indigenous (55%) or European (52%) decry adult Halloween costumes that refer to a culture that is not the wearer’s own (55%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “The proportions are lower among Canadians of East Asian (49%) and South Asian (38%) descent.”
Candy corn remains an extremely contentious confection, with 47% of Canadians (+5) saying they like it, and 45% (-3) saying they dislike it.
Animosity towards candy corn reaches 47% among Canadians aged 35-to-54 and 49% among Quebecers. Conversely, the confection is particularly popular among Canadians aged 18-to-34 (50%) and Ontarians (also 50%).
More than half of Canadians (52%, +8) say they like pumpkin spice flavoured drinks, while larger proportions enjoy pumpkin spice flavoured cakes (67%, +9) and pumpkin pie (70%, +4).
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from October 21 to October 23, 2024, among 1,001 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
Photo Credit: Patricia (Brownies for Dinner)
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca