High Chocolate Prices Slow Halloween Candy Buying
WHO:
Yahoo - California TikTok user Lile Khomasuridze posted a video showing a Baskin-Robbins kiosk price change after she removed a cherry from a sundae order.
NBC News - Chris Costagli is a vice president and food thought leader at NielsenIQ.
NBC News - Sally Lyons Wyatt is a global executive vice president and food industry adviser at Circana.
NBC News - The National Confectioners Association represents candy makers including Mars, Smarties Candy Co. and Ferrara Candy Co.
ABC News Business - The article headline identifies U.S. consumers as facing high living costs and chocolate prices; no further details are provided in the article text.
WHAT:
Yahoo - Futbol Chronicle said it could not reproduce the Baskin-Robbins kiosk price increase through online ordering and found no other reports of the same issue involving the chain.
Yahoo - Yahoo reported examples of customization fees at other restaurants: nearly $2 to remove an egg from an airport restaurant sandwich and $0.09 per removed ingredient in a DoorDash sandwich order.
Yahoo - Yahoo reported that some commenters described removal fees of 40 cents at Culver’s and $1.29 at Carl’s Jr.; another commenter said parentheses around “.99” might indicate a price deduction.
Yahoo - Khomasuridze’s two-scoop sundae total rose from $7.59 to $8.58 after she removed the cherry; she questioned why removing it added a dollar.
Yahoo - The video had more than 81,000 views.
Yahoo - Restaurant meal costs rose approximately 51% over the past decade, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data; candy and chewing-gum prices rose approximately 57% since September 2016, according to Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis data.
NBC News - Halloween candy sales fell 6.7% in the month ending Oct. 17 compared with the same period the prior year, according to NielsenIQ.
NBC News - NielsenIQ recorded an 11.7% decline in candy sales in mid-September, erasing preseason gains from the previous two years.
NBC News - Small candy bags were the only sizes with sales growth through mid-October; large and extra-large bags had the steepest declines.
NBC News - Candy and gum prices rose 44% over five years through September, while prices for all food eaten at home rose 22.5%, according to government data.
NBC News - Aldi advertised a 135-piece Mars Inc. variety pack, including Milky Way, Trix and Snickers, for $19.87—nearly the price of a 250-piece variety pack five years earlier.
NBC News - Non-chocolate Halloween candy averaged $6.08 per pound in the nine weeks ending Oct. 17, about 3% less than the prior year; sales did not increase.
NBC News - The National Confectioners Association said it remained optimistic, stating: “We are just now entering the peak period for Halloween and consumer enthusiasm remains incredibly strong.”
ABC News Business - Its supplied article text says Halloween candy sales are off to a slow start amid high living costs and high chocolate prices.
WHERE:
NBC News - The reported sales and consumer spending trends concern the United States.
NBC News - West Africa supplies 70% of the world’s chocolate, according to the article.
WHEN:
NBC News - NielsenIQ’s sales comparisons cover the month ending Oct. 17, mid-September, and the period through mid-October.
NBC News - The article reports candy and gum price increases through September and gasoline prices as of Friday.
NBC News - Cocoa prices reached a record $10,710 per metric ton in January 2025, fell to $3,241 per metric ton in March, and began rising again in the spring.
NBC News - The article says hot, dry El Niño conditions are expected through February.
WHY:
NBC News - Costagli said high gas prices and increased spending on fuel, housing, clothing and food are reducing consumers’ ability to buy Halloween candy.
NBC News - Average U.S. gasoline was $4.29 per gallon as of Friday, nearly 40% above the prior year.
NBC News - The article attributes high cocoa prices to poor weather in West Africa and speculative trading in cocoa futures; it says the Iran war disrupted Africa’s fertilizer supplies and El Niño is expected to hurt production.
NBC News - Lyons Wyatt said consumers are making smaller, more frequent grocery trips and buying products closer to when they will use them; she said shoppers may be waiting until nearer Halloween to buy candy.
NBC News - Lyons Wyatt said she expected candy sales to remain soft but added: “I don’t think Halloween is doomed.”
HOW:
Yahoo - Yahoo said removal fees may result from ordering-system programming errors that add a charge instead of subtracting it, or from restaurants charging for customization when changes require a separately prepared item and additional worker time.
Bloomberg Markets - Ignacio Canalas Polo said chocolate manufacturers are managing costs through product reformulation and consumers may see more promotions.
NBC News - NielsenIQ and Circana provided market research and consumer-spending observations cited in the article.
NBC News - Consumers’ reported grocery-shopping approach involves smaller, more frequent trips and buying items shortly before use.
(UPDATED October 25, 2026 19:58 UTC)
A viral TikTok video has drawn attention to rising food costs after California user Lile Khomasuridze showed a Baskin-Robbins kiosk increasing her sundae’s price by nearly a dollar when she removed the cherry. The two-scoop order went from $7.59 to $8.58, though an online check could not reproduce the charge, and no similar cases were found at the chain. Other diners have reported removal fees at restaurants, which may reflect ordering errors or charges for customized preparation. The incident comes as U.S. Halloween candy sales are slowing: sales fell 6.7% in the month ending Oct. 17, and were down 11.7% in mid-September. Candy and gum prices have climbed 44% over five years, while gasoline and other household costs are squeezing budgets. Shoppers are buying smaller amounts more often, and may be delaying candy purchases until closer to Halloween.
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(UPDATED October 25, 2026 14:57 UTC)
Halloween candy sales are struggling as U.S. shoppers contend with high living costs and rising chocolate prices. NielsenIQ found sales fell 6.7% in the month ending Oct. 17 compared with the same period a year earlier, after an 11.7% drop in mid-September. Small candy bags were the only size category to post growth, while large and extra-large bags saw the steepest declines. Candy and gum prices have risen 44% over five years, compared with a 22.5% increase for food eaten at home. High fuel, housing, clothing and food costs are squeezing budgets, with gasoline averaging $4.29 a gallon. Shoppers are making smaller, more frequent grocery trips, and some may wait until closer to Halloween to buy candy. Cocoa costs have also been pressured by poor West African weather and speculative trading. Manufacturers are reformulating products and may offer more promotions, while the National Confectioners Association says consumer enthusiasm remains strong.
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(UPDATED October 24, 2026 22:00 UTC)
Halloween candy sales in the United States are off to a slow start as shoppers face high living costs and rising chocolate prices. NielsenIQ found sales fell 6.7% in the month ending Oct. 17 compared with the same period a year earlier. Candy sales had dropped 11.7% in mid-September, wiping out preseason gains from the previous two years. Small bags were the only size showing growth, while large and extra-large bags saw the steepest declines. Candy and gum prices climbed 44% over five years, compared with a 22.5% rise for food eaten at home. Chris Costagli of NielsenIQ says fuel, housing, clothing and food costs are squeezing candy budgets; gasoline averaged $4.29 a gallon. Circana’s Sally Lyons Wyatt says shoppers may wait until closer to Halloween to buy. The National Confectioners Association remains optimistic, saying the peak shopping period is just beginning.