Halloween Treat Prices Surge 71% in Five Years as Sales Fall

By Grace Kim

Personal finance firm Finance Buzz found Halloween treat prices surged 71% over the past five years. Groundwork Collaborative and the Century Foundation separately found popular Halloween chocolates and confectionery 15.3% higher this year than in 2025.

Finance Buzz said the five-year jump was much bigger than the general pace of price increases over the same period. The current comparison came from left-leaning nonprofit Groundwork Collaborative and the Century Foundation.

What pushed candy prices higher?

The report attributed higher confectionery costs to cocoa prices. A tonne of cocoa reached a high of more than $10,700 in January 2025, according to International Monetary Fund figures via the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis. The report also linked climate change to severe weather that affected supplies.

Stephen Zagor, an adjunct associate professor at Columbia Business School who specializes in food businesses, explained the lag in retail prices: “The cocoa that is now being consumed was bought when the prices were high,” he said.

The source report also cited inflation running at 3.7% and diesel at $6.32 a gallon, only 20 cents below the record reached in September. Zagor said those pressures may leave people less inclined to make Halloween the most extravagant.

Zagor said people have only so much to spend when everyday essentials cost more. “I think the holiday's gotten scary, more from an economic [perspective], than it might be for scaring people at the door,” he said.

The candy bill reflects both expensive ingredients and pressure on household budgets.

How are shoppers changing?

Demetrio Beltres, a 33-year-old financial adviser looking for Halloween bargains, usually spends $15 (£11) to $20 on treats. This year, he was spending more than usual because prices were much higher, while browsing candy at a Target in Manhattan. “I'm trying to spend at least $20 to $30 just to make sure that I get the kids something,” he said.

New York shopper Mallory, who declined to give her last name, said: “Everything is expensive, so it does not surprise me that Halloween candy is expensive too.” Her reaction matched the broader cost pressure described in the report.

Those combined cost pressures shaped buying ahead of the holiday, according to consumer and market research company NielsenIQ. The firm found Halloween treat sales down 11.7% by the middle of September and down 6.7% by the middle of October.

Chris Costagli, NielsenIQ's vice-president of US food thought leadership, said shoppers appeared more willing to spend as Halloween neared but remained cautious.

“Sales have improved considerably from where we started in September, with smaller packs gaining ground while larger sizes continue to struggle,” Costagli said. “This feels like a consumer who still wants the occasion, but is paying much closer attention to what goes into the basket.”

Shoppers are spending selectively rather than abandoning Halloween, according to NielsenIQ's sales and pack-size data.

How can shoppers celebrate on a smaller budget?

Zagor, a fan of Halloween and traditional treats, said cutting costs can create a different experience for trick-or-treaters.

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