- Sweethearts is adding new “Love in This Economy” sayings to its classic conversation hearts for Valentine’s Day.
- A Sweethearts survey found many Americans say the economy is affecting their Valentine’s plans this year.
- The brand is still mixing in classic phrases, and it’s continuing its streak of modern dating-themed seasonal drops.
Sweethearts has never just been candy. It’s a tiny, chalky relationship status update that somehow ends up being weirdly accurate every year. And for Valentine’s Day 2026, the iconic conversation hearts are leaning hard into a theme most of us didn’t ask for, but definitely recognize: love in this economy.
According to the brand, new hearts will show up with sayings that sound less like a rom-com and more like a shared Notes app: “SPLIT RENT,” “SHARE LOG-IN,” “CAR POOL,” “BUY N BULK,” and “COOK FOR 2.” It’s giving practical. It’s giving “we like each other a lot, but also, have you seen interest rates?”
The shift is tied to new research Sweethearts is touting ahead of the holiday. According to their study, a large majority of respondents said the economy is shaping their Valentine’s Day plans this year. Still, the candy angle remains undefeated. Sweethearts’ survey notes that candy continues to rank high on Valentine’s wish lists, and plenty of gift-givers still plan to go the sweets route.
“Sweethearts has always evolved with the times by staying aware of current dating trends and relationships—and being practical is having a moment,” said Evan Brock, vice president of marketing for Spangler Candy Company, the maker of Sweethearts. “That’s why some of the messages on our Sweethearts candies aren’t just about finding love the old-fashioned way this year.”
And if you’re worried the new messages mean the classics are getting benched, don’t. Sweethearts says staples like “CUTIE PIE” and “MARRY ME” will still be in the mix, so you can keep it traditional if you want.
This isn’t the brand’s first time turning modern dating into a seasonal bit. In recent years, Sweethearts has gone viral with themed drops that play with relationship ambiguity and the way people actually date now. The difference this year is that the punchline isn’t “what are we?” It’s “what’s the cheapest way to be together?”