The cost of Halloween candy spiked 71% in 5 years consider a few boo-dget swaps
Trick or cheat.As 74% of Americans prepare for spooky season, new research is warning Halloween candy shoppers to brace for another jump scare: horrifyingly high prices.A recent study by Finance Buzz found that the cost of filling the candy bowl has climbed 71% since 2021—more than triple the national inflation rate of 22%.Researchers analyzed bulk Halloween candy prices at four major supermarkets — Walmart, Target, Kroger and Albertsons — from 2021 through 2026, comparing price increases with annual inflation rates and calculating the average cost per piece.For perspective, a 100-piece bag of assorted Halloween candy averages $16.96 this year, up 3.5% from last year and $7.05 over the past 5 years.Recent price hikes make up a significant portion of the overall surge.Between 2023 and 2026, the cost of a 100-piece candy bag jumped by $5.05 ($2.45 in 2024, $2.34 in 2025, and $0.57 in 2026), compared to just $1.70 between 2021 and 2023.
Overall, Halloween candy inflation over the last three years was nearly triple that of the preceding two-year stretch.Per unit, each piece of candy now costs a customer roughly 17 cents.In New York City, candy customers are primed to pony up even more.A 75-piece bag of Halloween candy at Target in Times Square costs $20.68, or 28 cents per piece, meaning Gothamites pay more for less candy.
Elsewhere in Times Square, price gouging continues: a 100-piece variety pack costs $23.40 at CVS, and a 150-piece assortment at Walgreens comes in at $30.One explanation for peak Halloween candy prices is the cost of cocoa, which has risen sharply in recent years because of environmental factors and supply problems in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, reaching a record high of $12,000 per ton in 2024.In addition to volatile cocoa costs, other key ingredients have risen.While sugar has fallen, vegetable oil, a controversial alternative to cocoa butter, has risen alongside labor, energy, packaging, and transportation costs.Experts note that the plasti...