As 74% of Americans prepare for spooky season, new research is warning Halloween candy shoppers to brace for another jump scare: horrifyingly high prices.
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research → prepare → scare
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%.
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cost → find → %
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.
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Researchers → analyze → 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.
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bag → average → years
Recent price hikes make up a significant portion of the overall surge.
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hikes → make → 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.
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cost → jump → 2021
Overall, Halloween candy inflation over the last three years was nearly triple that of the preceding two-year stretch.
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inflation → precede → stretch
Per unit, each piece of candy now costs a customer roughly 17 cents.
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piece → cost → cents
In New York City, candy customers are primed to pony up even more.
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customers → prim → 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.
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Gothamites → cost → 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.
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assortment → continue → 30
In addition to volatile cocoa costs, other key ingredients have risen.
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ingredients → rise → costs
While sugar has fallen, vegetable oil, a controversial alternative to cocoa butter, has risen alongside labor, energy, packaging, and transportation costs.
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oil → fall → costs
Experts note that the plastic packaging that enshrouds most candy, including chocolate, is made from petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas.
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that → note → oil
Experts predict Americans will spend a record amount on spooky season this year, with consumer spending expected to reach $13.5 billion.
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spending → predict → billion
With war raging in the Middle East, packaging manufacturers have warned that “unprecedented disruptions” to resin supplies may have led to price increases.
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disruptions → rag → 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.
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pack → strap → piece
With the aid of a Sharpie marker, Mandarin oranges make a perfect facsimile of a jack-o’-lantern.
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oranges → make → o’-lantern
A 3-pound bag of mandarin oranges (like Halos or Cuties) contains around 30 fruits and usually costs $5 to $7.
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bag → contain → 7
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.
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buyers → create → item
The Aporia
