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 plastic packaging that enshrouds most candy, including chocolate, is made from petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas.
Experts predict Americans will spend a record amount on spooky season this year, with consumer spending expected to reach $13.5 billion.
With war raging in the Middle East, packaging manufacturers have warned that “unprecedented disruptions” to resin supplies may have led to price increases.
Some experts in the field of candy consumerism — that is, cash-strapped parents on the Internet — have previously shared some key strategies for your holiday boo-dget
The health-conscious go for less sinful sweet treats, such as this 100-count bag of honey sticks for $20, putting the price per unit at 20 cents, or a salty snack like pumpkin- and bat-shaped pretzel bags, a 70-pack of which costs just $25, or 35 cents per piece.
With the aid of a Sharpie marker, Mandarin oranges make a perfect facsimile of a jack-o’-lantern. A 3-pound bag of mandarin oranges (like Halos or Cuties) contains around 30 fruits and usually costs $5 to $7.
Themed knick-knacks are creative and sugar-free alternatives: A 500-pack of glow sticks costs $26, a pack of 100 Halloween pencils costs $19, and 300 glow-in-the-dark temporary tattoos are a bargain at $7. Spider rings, plastic vampire fangs and glow-in-the-dark bouncy balls are also staple party favors, ranging from $5 to $8 for bags of 100+ pieces.
Budget-conscious buyers can also create a “choice bowl” by mixing a small amount of traditional candy with a large amount of cheap toys or glow sticks, and inviting kids to pick one item.
