# Do you return Halloween candy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 2, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089 "2009-11-02T19:45:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/1 "2009-11-02T19:45:53Z")
I have a few unopened bags of Halloween candy. I was out of the house most of the day, so I wasn’t able to give it all out. I’m just curious if people actually return the stuff. It’s not really an option for me, since I threw out the receipts. But at least I’ll know for next time. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/2 "2009-11-02T19:49:28Z")
I don’t really get trick or treaters since I live in an apartment. But I always figured that I’d just buy candy I liked anyway and eat the leftovers. I think that’s what my parents did when I was younger–they’d buy stuff my brother and I ate normally. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/3 "2009-11-02T20:59:00Z")
I would never think of returning it, because I’d be dying to eat it. Returning foodstuffs is problematic in that the store often can’t restock for fear that it may have been tampered with. Many stores will accept returns if the customer claims to not be satisfied with the product, but in my view you’d be asking the store to (figuatively :)) eat a return that they can’t resell. It’s turning your probelm into theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/4 "2009-11-02T21:07:10Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > …Returning foodstuffs is problematic in that the store often can’t restock for fear that it may have been tampered with. Many stores will accept returns if the customer claims to not be satisfied with the product, but in my view you’d be asking the store to (figuatively :)) eat a return that they can’t resell. It’s turning your probelm into theirs. Agreed, and this is why I asked. Oftentimes, accepted practice trumps fairness. Maybe the stores adjust their prices to accommodate an expected level of returns? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/5 "2009-11-02T21:11:38Z")
You’re thinking of returning it? :eek: It’s _candy_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nightingale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@Nightingale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightingale)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/6 "2009-11-03T14:09:54Z")
No. I’d either put it away for the next time my kids need a bag of candy for a party at school, or I’d take it to work to share. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/7 "2009-11-03T14:59:52Z")
No, I’d never return it. I’d keep it for the household, or maybe donate it to a food pantry or underprivileged family I know of. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/8 "2009-11-03T15:09:03Z")
At our office we usually end up with a bowl full of candy in the break room for everyone to share. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/9 "2009-11-03T16:42:39Z")
Considering I think of the day after halloween as a holiday unto itself because of the half price candy I have to say that no I would not return it. ---
**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/10 "2009-11-03T18:14:52Z")
We’ve lived on a ranch in the boonies for seven years. We’ve never had trick-or-treaters; but we stock up for Halloween all the same. It’s no trick to treat ourselves with bite-size chocolate goodness. And the grandkids all know where the candy drawer is. Everyone wins! However, if you don’t indulge in candy yourself; you do realize it’s a seasonal thing? I don’t think a refund would be in order. Perhaps you could stash the left-over candy for the holidays, and offer it to your guests? ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/11 "2009-11-03T19:11:21Z")
Thanks for the responses. I don’t think that I’d ever do it anyway. In fact, I don’t believe that I’ve ever returned anything to a supermarket. I was trying to find out if it was common practice. But now that I think about it, supermarkets should take back unopened bags of Halloween candy (and advertise that they do). It would be good business. They would sell alot more candy since customers wouldn’t be concerned about buying too much. And many of them won’t actually return it anyway. It would even make more sense for candy manufacturers to promote this concept and take back returned candy from supermarkets. I figure that their margins on the candy is even higher than for supermarkets. Supermarket chains: My consulting fees are only $1,000 an hour (minimum 10 hours a week). This one’s on the house. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/12 "2009-11-03T22:31:46Z")
Good lord no! Candy is for eating. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/13 "2009-11-03T22:45:27Z")
If you don’t want it, take it to work. I guarantee your co-workers will make it disappear. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/14 "2009-11-03T22:47:37Z")
Nope. 1. We overbuy because we know we’ll need to swap out a fair bit of stuff for the kids (kid 1 can’t have peanuts, kid 2 has braces and can’t have chewy stuff) so we need to have extras to replace what we’ve taken from them. 2. Hell no, that’s _our_ trick-or-treat treat 😃 ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/15 "2009-11-03T22:49:24Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > You’re thinking of returning it? :eek: > > It’s _candy_. 😃 Just what I was thinking… Return it? Are you serious? Hey, if you don’t want it, give it to me 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/16 "2009-11-03T22:57:07Z")
Yes. Via the alimentary canal. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/17 "2009-11-03T23:08:32Z")
I keep reading that question but I don’t understand what it means. Return… candy? 😕 You’re talking nonsense! ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/18 "2009-11-03T23:27:38Z")
Unfathomable concept. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/19 "2009-11-03T23:42:48Z")
My father has stories about the day after Halloween, Easter, Christmas, whatever. People will (try to) return anything. I’d never do it and would think bad things about people that did, but apparently it happens. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-return-halloween-candy/516089/20 "2009-11-04T01:35:22Z")
I was at Target’s customer service desk on Sunday afternoon (getting a double charge refunded), and saw a woman in line with several bags of unopened candy. I thought it kind of strange, but didn’t pay attention to whether she was allowed to return it. I imagine that there might have been a scene if she hadn’t been, though. 🙂