Halloween candy prices jump 7.7% as cocoa costs and tariffs push higher
Federal data show candy and gum prices up 7.7% in a year and more than 18% in two years, with cocoa, tariffs and fuel costs driving chocolate prices higher.
At a glance
- Candy and gum prices rose 7.7% in a year and more than 18% in two years, outpacing average food inflation, federal data show.
- Chocolate costs are the main driver after drought and heavy rains damaged cocoa harvests in West Africa.
- The National Retail Federation projects record Halloween spending of $13.5 billion this year, or $115 per person.
Candy and gum prices in U.S. stores have climbed 7.7% over the past year and more than 18% over two years, according to the latest federal data, outpacing the average rate of food inflation over the same period. The increase lands as households stock up for Halloween, when candy is the most popular purchase.
Cocoa drives the increase
The main culprit is chocolate. Drought and heavy rain in regions such as West Africa have hurt cocoa harvests in recent seasons, pushing prices up worldwide. Global cocoa production is now rebounding, but that offers little relief to shoppers buying candy for trick-or-treaters this year, said David Branch, a sector manager at the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute. The cocoa in the chocolate now on shelves was purchased in 2025, he said, when prices were high.
Cocoa prices have come down from recent highs after a surplus in the global supply of beans earlier this year. Even so, Branch said consumer chocolate prices are "sticky" — they tend not to fall when cocoa does because of the lag time in production. Manufacturers are also contending with higher costs for other ingredients such as sugar, pricier fuel tied to the war in Iran, and costlier imports subject to U.S. tariffs.
Small makers feel the squeeze
Enna Grazier, who owns the New Hampshire small-batch chocolate company Enna Chocolate, said a 50% tariff on some holiday packaging and ingredients she planned to buy from Canadian suppliers forced her to look elsewhere or improvise. "I've had to look elsewhere or get creative with some of my packaging needs for this holiday season, and that's super frustrating," she said. It has also made planning harder, she added, disrupting arrangements she had already made.
Spending expected to set a record
Higher prices do not appear to be keeping people home. The National Retail Federation estimates consumers will spend $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, a 3% annual increase. That works out to a record $115 per person, 55 cents more than last year, according to the group.
A shift away from chocolate
Some candy makers are adjusting their lineups, offering more gummy and sour sweets and launching products that avoid pricier chocolate. KitKat has a marshmallow-flavored Witch's Brew, and Reese's White Ghosts come coated in white creme rather than chocolate. Demand for chocolate itself has not melted away: the market research firm Circana, which tracks purchases in U.S. supermarkets, reports chocolate candy sales have been increasing for several years while shoppers buy less of it — meaning consumers are paying more for chocolate and getting less.
Source: NPR News.
Questions and answers
- Why is Halloween candy so expensive this year?
- Federal data show candy and gum prices up 7.7% in a year, driven mainly by chocolate after drought and heavy rains in West Africa damaged cocoa harvests and raised global prices.
- Will chocolate prices fall now that cocoa prices are down?
- Not immediately. Chocolate prices are "sticky" because of the lag between cocoa purchases and finished candy, and makers also face higher sugar, fuel and tariff costs.
- How much will Americans spend on Halloween this year?
- The National Retail Federation estimates $13.5 billion in Halloween spending, a 3% increase and a record $115 per person, 55 cents more than last year.
