Halloween Candy Costs Soar, yet Spending Plans Remain Strong
WHO:
CBS News - The National Retail Federation (NRF) provided Halloween spending and shopping forecasts.
CBS News - Cortland Hickey, general manager of Chicago Costume, said transportation, fulfillment, fuel surcharges and diesel costs are increasing Halloween-related prices.
CBS News - Phil Lempert, editor of the Lempert Report and a consumer-behavior analyst, advised shoppers to compare candy prices and said Amazon orders would be “a lot less expensive.”
CBS News - PwC, WalletHub, FinanceBuzz and the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute were cited for surveys or price estimates.
CBS News - Mondelez makes Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish; Ferrero’s candy brands include Butterfinger, Crunch and Baby Ruth.
CBS News - Hershey said it would return certain Reese’s products to their original recipes in 2027 after criticism over recipe changes.
Fox News - The article reports that Americans still plan to spend billions on Halloween staples and use coupons and sales strategies; it provides no further named individuals or organizations in the supplied text.
WHAT:
WLWT - Adults plan to spend an average of $59.29 on Halloween costumes, and about $4.4 billion in total is expected to go toward costumes.
WLWT - Spider-Man was the most popular children’s costume in 2026, according to the National Retail Federation.
WLWT - A Spider-Man costume advertised in 1974 cost $2.94, equivalent to $19.39 in 2026 dollars; Spirit Halloween listed a children’s Spider-Man costume for $49.99.
CBS News - Americans are forecast to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween, including $4.1 billion on candy. Expected spending is $400 million above 2025 and $1.9 billion above 2024.
CBS News - PwC found the average person expects to spend about $263; parents often spend the most because they shop for multiple Halloween events. WalletHub found two-thirds of Americans think Halloween has become too expensive.
CBS News - Chocolate prices are expected to be 8% higher than the previous Halloween. A 100-piece assorted-candy bag averaged $16.96 in 2026, up 3.5% from 2025 and 71% from 2021.
CBS News - Mondelez raised prices on gummy-candy packs by 39%; Ferrero raised chocolate-pack prices nearly 19%.
Fox News - Candy prices rose 7.7% over the past year; Halloween shoppers are expected to spend $4.1 billion on sweets.
WHERE:
CBS News - Most of the world’s cocoa supply comes from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa.
WHY:
CBS News - Candy costs reflect elevated cocoa costs, shipping and transportation expenses, fulfillment costs, fuel surcharges and diesel prices. Candy makers are still using cocoa bought during 2025 price spikes, delaying the benefit of lower cocoa-market prices.
CBS News - Heat waves and heavy rains linked to climate change affected cocoa crops in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, contributing to shortages and price spikes. U.S. tariffs on cocoa-producing countries also affected prices; levies on cocoa and other commodities unavailable for U.S. cultivation were removed last November.
HOW:
WLWT - The article’s data team compared newspaper advertisements for three popular costumes from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s with inflation-adjusted costs and prices for basic costume versions listed on Spirit Halloween’s website.
WLWT - The National Retail Federation’s annual survey found that 79% of respondents expected prices to be higher because of tariffs.
CBS News - Twenty-seven percent of consumers plan to shop online, down from 31% in 2025. About half began shopping in September or earlier; late online orders may require rush shipping or arrive after Halloween.
CBS News - Some manufacturers replaced traditional milk-chocolate ingredients with cheaper alternatives such as vegetable oil. Federal rules require milk chocolate to contain at least 10% cocoa mass and solids; products with 2% or less, including Butterfinger, Rolo and Almond Joy, are labeled “Chocolate Candy.”
CBS News - Lempert said candy prices could rise through 2027 and probably 2028. Fox News says shoppers plan to use coupons and sales strategies.
(UPDATED October 26, 2026 16:11 UTC)
Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween, including $4.1 billion on candy, as shoppers face higher prices for costumes and sweets. Candy costs have risen with cocoa shortages and lingering effects of last year’s price spikes, as well as shipping, fuel and fulfillment expenses; chocolate prices are expected to be 8% higher than last Halloween. Shoppers are comparing prices, using coupons and sales, and turning to online orders, while the National Retail Federation says Spider-Man is the most popular children’s costume this year.
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(UPDATED October 26, 2026 15:35 UTC)
Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween, including $4.1 billion on candy, even as two-thirds say the holiday has become too expensive. Candy prices are climbing because of higher cocoa, shipping and fuel costs, with chocolate prices forecast to be 8% above last Halloween and a 100-piece candy bag averaging $16.96. Shoppers are comparing prices and using coupons and sales, while candy makers continue to feel the effects of earlier cocoa shortages and price spikes.