US set for major pet-friendly Mars Halloween celebrations

Halloween celebrations in the US could well be set to break the internet again, as Mars unveils a special range of suitably eye-catching spooky treats for people and their pets to jointly celebrate the season, reports Neill Barston.

The American confectionery giant, which has developed a key division creating food for our four-legged friends has spotted a key gap in the market for ramping-up its combined product development.

Notably, the new product collaboration will include a debut for its limited edition Tails and Treats packs, involving Snickers, M&M’s, Ben’s Original, Pedigree and Temptations brands, which include equivalent snacks appropriate for pets.

According to its research conducted jointly with IPSOS, some 43% of pet owners are due to involve their extended animal families in Halloween festivities this year. 

Last year, spending on the season’s confectionery totalled $4 billion, with additional household outlay on celebrations believed to have topped $10 billion, making the occasion one of the most significant in the annual confectionery calendar. Indeed Europe, and many other areas around the globe have followed suit in their consumer spending habits for the spooky season.

Tim LeBel, Chief Halloween Officer and President of Sales at Mars Wrigley North America, believed the new treating initiative could hold significant prospects for the company.

He commented:  “As a family-owned company, at Mars we know holidays mean more when we can celebrate together.

“We’re excited to give Americans the chance to extend spooky season celebrations to their beloved pets with our Mars Tails & Treating Packs — a first-of-its kind product innovation that only a company like Mars can offer.”

As the company confirmed, each new treating pack includes five bags of Share Size Milk Chocolate M&M’S, five Full Size Snickers Chocolate candy bars, and five Skittles Original Fruity Candy share size bags for humans, along with one pack of Greenies Dental Treats for dogs (consumers can select size Teeny – Large depending on pet size), one pack of Greenies Cat Dental Treats, three packs of Pedigree Drizzlers Savoury Sauce (assorted flavours) for dogs, and one box of Temptations Lickable Spoons treats for cats.

To elevate your next Halloween celebration, the pack also includes a Spooky Seven Layer Dip seasonal recipe from Mars Ben’s Original brand, with the series being clearly packaged to help ensure that both human and pet food featured is stored separately, and consumed safely.

Linked to the offer, Mars Petcare is engaging the community with a donation of $10,000 to the Pedigree Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping adoptable dogs find loving homes.

Anton Vincent, President of Mars Wrigley North America & Global Ice Cream, added: “Mars products are enjoyed by millions of people and pets across the country each year.

“Our diverse portfolio reflects Mars commitment to innovation as we continuously strive to make sure our brands are positioned to meet Americans’ needs while playing a meaningful role in people and pets’ lives.”