Halloween Candy Costs More This Year Even as Cocoa Prices Retreat

Americans stocking up for Halloween are paying noticeably more for sweets this year. Average prices for candy and chewing gum rose 8.1% over the past year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data reported by NBC News, well above the 3.4% rise in consumer prices overall.

Chocolate has led the increase. Prices for chocolate in general are up 9.4% from a year ago, according to the market research firm NIQ, though NIQ found that Halloween-specific chocolate was up only 1.7%. A separate analysis by the consulting firm PwC found a much sharper jump for seasonal chocolate, with the average package up 15.5% to $5.67, while non-chocolate candy averaged $3.31, up 1.8%. The two firms measure prices differently, but both found seasonal chocolate costing more than last year.

The main reason is cocoa. Global cocoa prices roughly quadrupled between January 2023 and January 2025, according to International Monetary Fund data cited by NBC News. They have since fallen by about half, PwC says, but shoppers will not see much of that decline this season. Ali Furman, PwC’s consumer markets leader, explained that chocolate makers buy cocoa months and sometimes up to two years in advance, so this year’s candy was largely made with beans bought at higher prices.

Trade policy has added to costs. In July, the United States imposed tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on goods from about 60 trading partners, and Chris Costagli, who leads food and beverage insights at NIQ, told NBC News that tariffs on imported chocolate have raised manufacturers’ expenses.

Higher prices do not appear to be keeping people from celebrating. The National Retail Federation expects Halloween spending to reach $13.5 billion this year, with consumers planning to spend an average of about $115 each, according to a survey it conducted Sept. 1 to 9. NBC News reported that 96% of shoppers expect to buy sweets, and the federation found that 61% plan to hand out candy.

The squeeze comes as household budgets are stretched more broadly. NBC News noted that wages have risen about 3% over the past year, slightly less than overall prices.

There is a modestly hopeful side to the numbers. Because cocoa costs have already come down sharply, the decline may begin to show up in chocolate prices once makers work through older, more expensive supplies, though tariffs could blunt some of that relief. For this year, at least, the cheapest treat may be the one that is not made of chocolate.