Consumers Face Record Halloween Spending Despite Cost Pressures
Americans are projected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year as rising candy, fuel, and shipping costs drive up seasonal prices.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — Americans are on track to shell out a record $13.5 billion on Halloween festivities this year amidst climbing expenses associated with the national scarefest, data from the National Retail Federation indicates.
Shoppers are projected to spend $4.1 billion on candy alone. Although cocoa expenses have retreated from record highs seen in 2024 and 2025, treating costs remain elevated due to lingering shipping and transportation expenses.
Even with higher price tags, the NRF anticipates total spending to jump by $400 million compared to 2025 and outpace 2024 spending by $1.9 billion. A survey conducted by consulting firm PwC revealed that the typical individual expects to shell out roughly $263, with parents generally driving up costs because they purchase items for multiple Halloween events.
Meanwhile, a recent WalletHub poll shows that two-thirds of Americans believe Halloween has become excessively expensive. Hickey noted that tariff costs are largely integrated into products rather than serving as unexpected surprises like last year, though diesel costs and fuel surcharges continue to mount when retailers receive shipments on pallets and truckloads.
Online shopping has dipped slightly in popularity for seasonal purchases, with 27% of consumers planning digital transactions compared to 31% in 2025, according to the NRF. Consumers waiting until the last minute for online orders risk paying steeper rush shipping fees or receiving costumes after the holiday passes.
According to the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, chocolate prices are projected to run 8% higher than last Halloween. FinanceBuzz reported that an assorted 100-piece candy bag costs an average of $16.96 in 2026, marking a 3.5% increase from last year and a 71% jump compared to 2021.
Candy manufacturers have adjusted pricing significantly, with Mondelez boosting gummy candy pack prices by 39% for brands like Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish. Ferrero raised chocolate pack prices by nearly 19% across labels including Butterfinger, Crunch, and Baby Ruth.
These heightened prices stem from a lagging cocoa market. While cocoa prices have dropped from their 2024 and 2025 peaks, consumers have not yet experienced the full relief because confectioners are still working through cocoa supplies purchased during past price surges, economists explain.
West African nations Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire supply the majority of the global cocoa market. Heat waves and heavy rains linked to climate change disrupted crops in 2025, triggering supply shortages and severe price spikes, while elevated U.S. tariffs on cocoa-producing regions also impacted costs before levies on non-domestic agricultural commodities were lifted last November.
To reduce production expenses, certain confectioners have swapped traditional milk chocolate ingredients for cheaper substitutes like vegetable oil. Items falling short of official milk chocolate standards must instead carry labels such as chocolate candy, chocolatey, or chocolate coating.
Federal regulations stipulate that milk chocolate must feature at least 10% cocoa mass and solids, leading products like Butterfinger, Rolo, and Almond Joy—which contain 2% or less cocoa—to be classified strictly as Chocolate Candy. Earlier this year, Hershey’s faced public criticism for altering the classic Reese’s recipe in specific seasonal products to incorporate less chocolate, prompting the firm to announce it will revert to original formulas in 2027.
Shoppers can navigate rising expenses by comparing price tags per piece or per pound on variety packs, where some chocolate assortments cost nearly twice as much as gummy treats. For costumes, Hickey advises skipping prepackaged outfits to focus instead on items consumers are less likely to already own or assemble themselves, such as specific wigs, face paints, specialized makeup, and props.
Financial pressures are also transforming shopping habits. Approximately half of surveyed consumers reported beginning their shopping in September or earlier, allowing them to spread out expenses and hunt for deals according to the NRF.
Lempert projects that Halloween-related costs will continue climbing in future years, pointing to the ongoing disruption of global cocoa prices by climate change and higher fuel expenses as key drivers. Prices are expected to keep rising through 2027 and likely 2028, he added.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
