Sour Patch Kids vs Starburst:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Sour Patch Kids had more branded searches than Starburst among lolly brands in Australia. Sour Patch Kids had about 9,900 branded searches, while Starburst had 6,600. Sour Patch Kids made up 14.9% of all lolly brand searches we track, and Starburst accounted for 9.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about lolly brands, Sour Patch Kids appeared in two of the five answers and Starburst in none.
Who do people search for more?
Sour Patch Kids, about 50% more searches than Starburst
Who does AI mention more?
Sour Patch Kids, mentioned in 2 of 5 answers, Starburst in 0
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Top lolly brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Sour Patch Kids was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Starburst did not appear in any of the five answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Darrell Lea2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Sour Patch Kids2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
The Natural Confectionery Co.2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Skittles0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Allens0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Haribo0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Starburst0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Nerds0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about lolly brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which lollies should I buy in Australia?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best lolly brands in Australia?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best sour lollies?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“lollies”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“sour lollies”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in Australia on October 26, 2026.
Is Sour Patch Kids or Starburst more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Sour Patch Kids and Starburst by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight lolly brands we track, month by month, from searches in Australia.
Share of searches by month for Sour Patch Kids, Starburst. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Skittles | Darrell Lea | Allens | Sour Patch Kids | Haribo | Starburst | The Natural Confectionery Co. | Nerds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 25% | 16.7% | 11.1% | 13.7% | 11.1% | 13.7% | 6.6% | 2.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 23% | 23% | 10.3% | 15.4% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 5.3% | 2.5% |
| Dec 2025 | 18.5% | 27.7% | 12.3% | 15.1% | 8.2% | 10.1% | 6.1% | 1.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 18.5% | 18.5% | 15.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 15.1% | 6% | 2.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 22.2% | 18.2% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 9.9% | 12.1% | 5.9% | 2% |
| Mar 2026 | 20.9% | 25.6% | 11.4% | 14% | 9.3% | 11.4% | 5.7% | 1.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 22.4% | 22.4% | 12.2% | 15% | 10% | 10% | 6.1% | 1.9% |
| May 2026 | 23.4% | 15.7% | 15.7% | 15.7% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 6.6% | 2.1% |
| Jun 2026 | 20.7% | 13.9% | 17% | 17% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 6.7% | 2.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 20.9% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 14% | 9.3% | 11.4% | 6.7% | 3.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 21% | 14% | 21% | 14% | 9.3% | 11.5% | 7.4% | 1.8% |
| Sep 2026 | 22.3% | 18.2% | 14.9% | 14.9% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 7.8% | 2% |
How has the Sour Patch Kids and Starburst comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Starburst took it in January 2026, Sour Patch Kids took it in February 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sour Patch Kids’ share of searches among lolly brands in Australia moved from 13.7% to 14.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 9.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Starburst’s share of searches among lolly brands in Australia moved from 13.7% to 9.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 6.6K.
How did search popularity change for Australia lolly brands in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, Haribo overtook Starburst to rank 5th among lolly brands in Australia, with 9.9% of the searches.
In September 2026, Sour Patch Kids gained share of searches among lolly brands in Australia, from 14% to 14.9%.
In September 2026, Starburst lost share of searches among lolly brands in Australia, from 11.5% to 9.9%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Sour Patch Kids’ and Starburst’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Sour Patch Kids
1 branded search term
- sour patch kids
Starburst
1 branded search term
- starburst
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