Safety Tips

Halloween will be safe and fun if a few common sense safety precautions are followed. Many safeguards are practiced when producing all types of candy, including a comprehensive food safety system which is in place at manufacturing facilities. Candy manufacturers follow stringent quality control procedures, including laboratory testing of raw ingredients, to ensure their products are safe and wholesome. In addition, the candy industry works closely with the federal food regulatory agencies to ensure the highest food safety standards are met. The industry also works closely with law enforcement officers nationwide during the Halloween season. This includes a 24-hour police hotline to report any alleged tampering incidents – a system that has been in place for several years.

According to the National Safety Council, the biggest safety concern for Halloween is the risk of injury. Here are some tips to help ensure a safe Halloween for everyone:

Review appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions with your kids – including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.
Dress in light-colored or reflective costumes and carry a lightweight flashlight.
Stay on the sidewalks or curbside unless crossing the street; look both ways for vehicles.
The family should know the children’s trick-or-treat route and kids should stick to it.
Young children should trick-or-treat with an adult; older children should trick-or-treat with friends or in a group.
Go only to houses that are familiar and never enter homes.
Drivers should pay special attention to speed limits and be alert to children who may be difficult to see at night.
Parents should inspect all treats their children bring home before any are consumed. Any treats in loose or open wrappers should be discarded.
If your candy looks unusual, please refer to our Variations in Candy Guide
If your child has a food allergy, pay special attention to food labels. Remove from the house any candy with allergens your child needs to avoid. Talk to your child about the importance of avoiding allergens and show your school-age children where to look on food labels for allergen information.