Halloween candy, like everything else, is more pricey this year. Naturally, yes. If you stocked up for trick-or-treaters, the receipts may show a pricey trend.
Retail price tracker Datasembly found that Halloween confectionery prices rose 13% in 2023 from October 2022. That's a big rise
considering inflation has only raised regular groceries by 6%. It may be cheaper to give out chips or clementines this year, but is it worth it?
Maybe a 13% candy price rise is worrisome. This is the second year Halloween candy prices have risen by double-digits.
According to PBS News, US candy and gum prices rose 14% in October 2022. Simple math reveals a 27% increase in two years (a $1 candy bar
in 2021 cost $1.14 in 2022 and $1.29 in 2023). Despite that spooky price, trick-or-treating isn't likely to get cheaper.
The Federal Reserve reports that rising cocoa and sugar prices are driving candy prices. Sugar prices have risen due to bad weather and
lack of rain, especially in Brazil, India, and Europe. Droughts won't make it simpler to harvest more sugar, and rising freight and transportation
expenses (which some major brands absorb to keep consumer costs down) may make sugar seem more like a treat than a regular habit.