Record Halloween Spending Amid Rising Candy Prices

Retailers and consumers face a mixed Halloween season as the National Retail Federation projects record $13.1 billion in spending this year, a per-person record of $114.45, with costumes ($4.3B), decorations ($4.2B) and candy ($3.9B) the largest categories and discount stores the top shopping destination. At the same time, candy prices are climbing roughly 10% year-over-year and long-term costs have jumped (a 100-count bag up from about $9 to $16), leaving shoppers and small retailers feeling sticker shock. Chocolate has been hit hardest after poor West African harvests and climate-driven disease and weather damage created a large global cocoa shortfall that pushed cocoa prices to peaks above $10,000 per ton earlier this year. Manufacturers are passing costs through higher prices, smaller pack sizes and reformulated products that use less cocoa or cheaper mix-ins, while rising energy, packaging and shipping costs — and in some analyses, recent tariffs — are amplifying pressures across seasonal candy, decorations and costumes. Companies and consumers are responding with recipe tweaks, more non-chocolate options, earlier shopping and promotions, and local reporting from the U.S., Canada and the U.K. shows homeowners and independent retailers adjusting budgets and inventories even as overall spending remains robust.