Halloween Candy Sales Fall 6.7% as Cocoa Costs and Inflation Squeeze Consumers

U.S. Halloween candy sales fell 6.7% in the month ending Oct. 17 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to NielsenIQ data cited by The Associated Press, as elevated chocolate prices and rising living costs curb discretionary spending. Candy and gum prices have climbed 44% over the past five years, versus a 22.5% increase in at-home food prices. Candy and chewing gum prices rose 8.1% in August from a year earlier, more than double the 3.4% rise in overall consumer prices, Fox News reported. Cocoa prices hit a record $10,710 per metric ton in January 2025 amid poor West African weather and speculative futures trading, with fertilizer supply disruptions and El Niño forecasts adding pressure. Shoppers are trading down: small bags were the only package size posting sales growth through mid-October, NielsenIQ found. Despite the softness, the National Retail Federation projects $4.1 billion in Halloween candy spending and total holiday spending of $13.5 billion, up from $13.1 billion in 2025.