Halloween candy prices are up 15%, about four times inflation

A new analysis found sour gummy packs and Reese’s cups costing far more than last year, even though cocoa and sugar got cheaper. Here’s why, and how to spend less on trick-or-treaters.

That bag of fun size bars by the front door is going to cost you more this year.

Halloween candy prices are up an average of 15% from last year, according to a new analysis from Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation. That’s about four times overall inflation. Both are progressive policy think tanks, and they shared the report first with Scripps News on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Some bags jumped a lot more than that. Many consumers have noticed.

Here’s what’s going on in the candy aisle.

How much have Halloween candy prices gone up?

The two biggest examples in the report are from the companies that make most of what ends up in trick-or-treat bags.

A Mondelez Sour Gummy Candy Variety Pack costs about $4.20 on average this fall, up 39% from $3.02 in 2025. A pack of Hershey’s Seasonal Peanut Butter Cups averages $8.23, up 23%, Scripps News reported.

The report used NielsenIQ average prices for the week ending Oct. 3, 2026, compared with the week ending Oct. 4, 2025.

Why is Halloween candy so expensive this year?

Partly the wrappers. Tariffs on foreign metals have pushed up aluminum prices, Scripps News reported. The Iran war’s disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has raised the cost of plastic.

Packaging isn’t the main cost of a candy bar, said Elizabeth Pancotti, Groundwork’s vice president of policy. But “especially for Halloween, where all of the candy is individually wrapped, it does add up pretty quickly,” she said.

Shipping costs more, too. Diesel prices recently hit a record high.

“Pretty much everything that gets to a store gets there because a diesel truck drove it there,” said Kyle Moore, chief economist for The Century Foundation.

Didn’t cocoa prices go down?

They did, and that’s the part the report hammers. Cocoa has fallen a long way from its 2024 peak, and wholesale sugar and corn syrup prices are down 10% and 4% this year, according to Scripps News.

The report calls that “corporate profiteering.”

“Customers are totally reasonable to think that they should have cheaper candy this year,” Pancotti said.

The report also says Hershey got a $9 million tariff refund and Mondelez got $6 million after the Supreme Court limited the president’s emergency tariff powers. Hershey’s gross profit margin in the second quarter was up 30% from last year, and Mondelez’s was up 33%, it said.

What did Hershey say about the price increases?

Hershey pushed back. In a statement to Scripps News, the company said it “has faced significant increases across ingredients, packaging, manufacturing and transportation,” including years of record cocoa costs.

It said it didn’t pass the full impact of those costs on to shoppers.

“More than 75% of our U.S. confection portfolio is available for less than $4,” the statement added. Mondelez didn’t respond to Scripps News.

Why are candy companies selling chips for Halloween?

Because chocolate got expensive. Hershey added salty snacks to its Halloween lineup for the first time this year, with fun size packs of Pirate’s Booty and SkinnyPop, Food Dive reported. PNP covered that lineup back in September.

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay went the same way with a Fright Night Mix of Doritos and Cheetos for trick-or-treaters. It also put out fun size snacks under its NKD line, which has no artificial dyes.

Candy makers have been quietly using more wafer and filling and less chocolate, too, Food Dive noted.

“It’s not about price discount and buy one, get one free,” Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner said at a Barclays conference in September. “You have to win consumers over with the best ideas and core brand relevance.”

Are people skipping candy this Halloween?

Some are. A LendingTree survey found that 35% of people shopping for Halloween plan to skip candy, Food Dive reported.

Another LendingTree study found that a quarter of Americans expected to take on debt for Halloween, including 40% of parents with kids under 18, according to Scripps News.

Experts said not to do that.

Consider more affordable options like chips or pretzels. Some people even give out packs of ramen and people love it.

How can you save money on Halloween candy?

Compare prices before you shop, since the same bag can cost very different amounts from store to store. Experts also pointed to warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club for big bags.

And if candy is eating the budget, cut somewhere else. Reusing last year’s costume or making one at home helps, though Scripps News noted even toilet paper costs more, so the DIY mummy isn’t free either.

Visit thrift stores for some affordable pieces. Consider doing a costume swap with friends or family.

Or do what Hershey’s doing and toss some pretzels in the bowl. Most kids won’t file a complaint.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• Scripps News, Jacob Gardenswartz (Oct. 20, 2026), the Groundwork Collaborative and Century Foundation analysis, the quotes and Hershey’s statement

• Food Dive, Laurel Deppen (Oct. 22, 2026), the salty snack lineups, the LendingTree survey and Kirk Tanner’s comments

• Pirates & Princesses (Sept. 2, 2026), Hershey’s Halloween lineup

AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.