Halloween Candy Prices Have Jumped Over 70% In Five Years. Hershey’s Says Shoppers Are Cutting Back.

Halloween may be all about scares, but this year a big one for many American families could come at the candy aisle.

The average price of a 100-piece bag of assorted Halloween candy has climbed to $16.96, up 71% since 2021, according to an analysis by FinanceBuzz.

The increase is more than three times the 22% rise in overall U.S. consumer prices over the five-year period. FinanceBuzz, which examined archived supermarket advertisements and current retail listings, found that candy prices rose another 3.5% compared with last Halloween.

The pressure from higher prices is also showing up in the financial results of America's biggest chocolate maker.

Hershey's third-quarter earnings report, released Thursday, showed that sales volume and product mix in its North American confectionery business declined approximately 11% from a year earlier, while price increases contributed about 13 percentage points to sales growth.

Despite the drop in volume, the division's revenue rose 1.6% to $2.66 billion during the quarter ended Sept. 27. The company attributed the decline in volume to consumers' response to higher prices and normal fluctuations in shipment timing.

Hershey, which makes Reese's, Kit Kat and its namesake chocolate bars, reported total quarterly revenue of $3.28 billion, up 3% from a year earlier.

CEO Kirk Tanner said the company was making progress on its priorities even as consumers became more cautious about spending. Hershey has continued investing in advertising and new products to support demand.

The latest results camejust two days before Halloween, one of the industry's biggest selling occasions. Yet higher candy prices haven't stopped Americans from planning an expensive celebration.

The National Retail Federation expects Halloween spending to reach a record $13.5 billion this year, compared with $13.1 billion in 2025.

Candy alone is expected to account for $4.1 billion, with 96% of Halloween shoppers planning to buy sweets. Americans are also expected to spend $4.4 billion on costumes and $4.3 billion on decorations.

The federation's September survey found that consumers planned to spend an average of $115.14 each on Halloween, roughly unchanged from last year's $114.45.

But many shoppers are looking for ways to stretch their budgets.

Nearly one-third of respondents said they would compare prices if Halloween products cost more than expected, while 26% planned to look for coupons or sales. Another 34% intended to buy items they could reuse in future years or for other occasions.

Discount stores remain the most popular shopping destination, attracting 39% of Halloween buyers, followed by specialty retailers and online stores.

Families with children are making their own adjustments. Research published Tuesday by FMI, The Food Industry Association, found that 76% of households planned to celebrate Halloween this year, rising to 90% among parents.

Among parents celebrating, 41% planned to buy more candy, while 17% expected to purchase or hand out less. Another 21% said they would reduce spending on costumes or skip them altogether.

The different responses show that not every household is reacting to higher prices in the same way. Some are prioritizing candy while looking for savings on other parts of the celebration.

Chocolate manufacturers have also been dealing with higher production costs following disruptions to cocoa supplies in major producing countries, including Ivory Coast and Ghana, during 2024 and 2025.

Although cocoa prices have since retreated from their peaks, manufacturers have continued managing the effects of earlier price increases alongside freight and other operating expenses.

Hershey said lower commodity costs helped improve profitability during the latest quarter, along with higher selling prices, productivity savings and tariff refunds. Its North American confectionery operating margin rose to 35.8%, compared with approximately 21.8% a year earlier.

For Americans preparing to hand out candy on Saturday, the rising cost hasn't necessarily changed the tradition itself. The National Retail Federation found that 61% of consumers planned to distribute treats this year, even as many looked for better prices and ways to make their Halloween budgets go further.