Halloween Costs Hit a Record $13.5 Billion as Cocoa, Fuel, and Tariff Effects Hit Shoppers

A 100-piece bag of assorted Halloween candy now costs an average of $16.96, according to FinanceBuzz. That is up 3.5% from last year and 71% above what the same bag cost in 2021. It is one of the plainer measures of why Americans are on track to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation.

Candy alone accounts for a forecast $4.1 billion of that total. The NRF expects consumers to spend $400 million more than in 2025 and $1.9 billion more than in 2024, even with prices where they are. A PwC poll found the average person expects to spend about $263, and parents tend to spend the most because they are shopping for several Halloween events. A WalletHub survey found that two-thirds of Americans think Halloween has become too expensive.

The candy aisle reflects a cocoa market that has been slow to pass along relief. Chocolate prices are expected to be 8% higher than last Halloween, according to the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute. Mondelez, which makes Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish, raised prices on gummy candy packs by 39%. Ferrero, whose brands include Butterfinger, Crunch and Baby Ruth, raised chocolate pack prices by nearly 19%.

Cocoa prices have fallen from record highs in 2024 and 2025. Economists say shoppers have not yet seen the full benefit, because candy makers are still using cocoa bought during the 2025 spikes. Much of the world's cocoa comes from Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa, where heat waves and heavy rains linked to climate change hurt crops in 2025 and contributed to shortages. Higher U.S. tariffs on cocoa-producing countries also played a part, though levies on cocoa and other commodities that can't be grown in the U.S. were removed last November.

Some manufacturers have cut costs by swapping traditional milk chocolate ingredients for cheaper ones such as vegetable oil. Products that fall short of the official definition can be labeled "chocolate candy," "chocolatey" or "chocolate coating." Under federal rules, milk chocolate must contain at least 10% cocoa mass and solids, so Butterfinger, Rolo and Almond Joy, which contain 2% or less, carry the "Chocolate Candy" label. Reese's also changed its classic recipe in certain products, such as limited-edition and seasonal candies, to use less chocolate. After backlash, the company said earlier this year it will return to its original recipes in 2027.

Costumes face a different pressure. Cortland Hickey, general manager of Chicago Costume, told CBS News that higher transportation and fulfillment costs are driving prices. Tariff costs, he said, are "pretty much baked into the products" rather than a surprise as they were last year. Now the burden comes from fuel surcharges and diesel costs for goods arriving on pallets and truckloads. Online shopping is less popular this year, with 27% of consumers planning to buy online, down from 31% in 2025, the NRF says. Last-minute online buyers risk rush shipping fees or a costume that arrives after Halloween.

There are ways to spend less. Phil Lempert, editor of the Lempert Report, said ordering candy on Amazon "is going to be a lot less expensive." Comparing price per piece or per pound can also help, since some chocolate assortments cost nearly twice as much as bags of gummy candy. Hickey suggests skipping prepackaged costumes and buying items people are less likely to own or make, such as specific wigs, face paint, special makeup and props. About half of shoppers began in September or earlier to spread out costs and hunt for deals, the NRF found.

Lempert does not expect relief soon. Citing climate effects on cocoa and higher fuel prices, among other factors, he said prices will keep rising "through 2027 and probably 2028."