SKITTLES® Releases New Post-Halloween Survey Results On How Consumers Taste The Rainbow

Brand finds peculiar correlations between single SKITTLES eaters and 5-star ratings on ride-sharing apps.
Photo by: Mars/prnewswire

It has been 30 years since SKITTLES^® launched its iconic "Taste the Rainbow" tagline, and over the years, fans have found new and different ways to enjoy their SKITTLES. On the heels of Halloween, the brand is releasing findings from a survey of Americans nationwide to uncover the hidden meaning behind the various ways people eat SKITTLES.

The survey found many unexpected correlations between the way people eat their SKITTLES and everyday behaviors, such as nearly half (49%) of participants report eating SKITTLES by the handful, while 31% grab a few at a time, and 20% eat SKITTLES one at a time.

"Whether it's conscious or sub-conscious, chances are you have a preferred way to enjoy SKITTLES," said Rebecca Duke, SKITTLES Senior Brand Manager, Mars Wrigley U.S. "We love learning about our fans, so we wanted to understand why these preferences exist and what they really mean. Our SKITTLES survey results come at a great time, considering it's the 30th anniversary of our iconic "Taste The Rainbow" tagline — it's a unique way for us to continue spotlighting our brand and passionate fanbase."

SKITTLES-Eating Preferences:

• Nearly half (49%) report eating SKITTLES by the handful, while 31% grab a few at a time, and 20% go one at a time
• 1 in 5 (20%) shake their SKITTLES like dice before eating them
• Almost a quarter (23%) claim that they suck on the SKITTLES first before chewing them
• Those in the Northeast (26%) are more likely than those in the Midwest (20%) to suck on the SKITTLES first before actually chewing them
• Those who eat SKITTLES one at a time are more likely to leave a party without saying goodbye (37% vs. 32%)
• Those who eat SKITTLES one at a time are considered detail-oriented and are more likely to hang toilet paper in the "over position" (77% vs. 68%)
• One-at-a-time SKITTLES eaters are more likely to binge-watch TV shows (66% vs. 59%). Perhaps it's because they don't want to be distracted by spoilers (78% vs. 74%)

Interesting SKITTLES-Eating Methods (verbatim responses):

• "I like to mix them and try to guess the color I am eating"
• "I like to eat from the outer shell, then to the insides"
• "I like to smash them against each other and the loser Skittle gets eaten first"
• "I suck on the first and the last Skittles I eat"
• "I sort them by color and then eat them by going from least favorite to most favorite"

Color Preferences:

• Overall, strawberry (red) is America's favorite SKITTLES flavor (33%)
• Almost 3/4 of SKITTLES eaters eat in a way that's made up of different colors (72%), while the remaining 28% eat only one SKITTLES color at a time
• Nearly 1 in 5 SKITTLES eaters have a color ritual of pairing different SKITTLES together to make their own flavor combinations
• Red SKITTLES lovers are more likely to identify as hopeless romantics (61% vs. 55%) and are more likely to be in a relationship (62% vs. 57%) 
• Orange SKITTLES eaters are more likely to respond immediately to friends' text messages (61% vs. 51%)
• Green SKITTLES lovers who are single are 50% more likely than other single SKITTLES eaters to have been ghosted by their dates
• Those who favor yellow SKITTLES are 37% more likely than others to say it's important to impress others (40% vs. 29%)
• More purple SKITTLES lovers than other SKITTLES eaters call themselves lone wolves (66% vs. 58%)

Lifestyle Correlations:

• Those who make a bag of SKITTLES last over several days are more likely to make their bed in the morning (51% vs. 39%)
• Those who make a bag of SKITTLES last over several days are more likely to have the household finances organized. They consider themselves savers (58% vs. 40%) and they invest their money (45% vs. 37%)
• Single SKITTLES eaters are more likely than partnered SKITTLES eaters to have a 5-star rating on ride-sharing apps (39% vs. 32%)

SKITTLES encourages fans to share how they enjoy The Five Fruity Flavors by tagging us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @Skittles and using the hashtag #HowToSkittles, or visiting us at www.HowDoYouEatSkittles.com

SKITTLES partnered with Kelton Global, an independent, third-party research firm, to conduct an online survey among 2,000 adults in the United States who have eaten SKITTLES in the past three months, with an overall margin of error of +/-2.2 percent.

About Mars, Incorporated
Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world's best-loved brands: M&M's®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN'S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl®, VCA® and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, Va., Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles—Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom—inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.