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Ridiculously high chocolate prices may change what candy is on sale this Halloween, and manufacturers are turning more to gummies and smaller-sized treats to offset rising costs.
Despite declining discretionary spending and consumer anxiety about the impact of tariffs on prices, Halloween treats are still big business.
Retail sales of Halloween chocolate and candy in 2024 will total $7.4 billion, up 2.2% from the previous year. National Confectionery Association.
But this year, chocolate prices have increased, making candy purchasing decisions different than in the past. Ahead of Halloween, research firm Circana predicts fierce competition between chocolate sales and non-chocolate Halloween candy sales.
Sales of non-chocolate Halloween candy outpaced chocolate items for eight weeks through mid-September. Date of Circana. As of September 14, non-chocolate seasonal sales increased 4.5%, while seasonal chocolate candy sales decreased 13.7%.
This is in contrast to last year, when chocolate topped candy sales, according to the National Confectioners Association.
After hitting record highs in late 2024, chocolate prices are now falling as supplies recover, but tariffs and climate change pose longer-term challenges. Most candy giants start planning Up to 1-2 years in advance for Halloween.This means many companies are prepared when prices spike.
High prices are expected to change the types of candy this year, but chocolate is still expected to dominate Christmas in miniature form. Sales of smaller Halloween chocolates are up compared to the same period last year, according to Circana.
“Despite concerns about rising prices due to tariffs, Halloween continues to resonate with consumers of all ages,” Katherine Cullen, vice president of industry and consumer insights for the National Retail Federation, said in a statement.
Unique shape, defines this year’s Halloween with previous releases.
that National Confectionery Association This year’s top treats are expected to include chocolate, gummy candies, candy corn, hard candies and lollipops.
Nearly 90% of consumers prefer seasonal candies with shapes, colors, flavors, characteristics and packaging that reflect the season. Circana’s data echoed this trend, saying the shape of a Halloween treat was a determining factor.
To keep up with this trend, several big candy companies have released new forms of classic candies this year.
Hershey has released limited-time vampire-shaped KitKats called Kit Kat Counts.
“We found that shaping the wafers into a certain shape, in this case Count, we thought consumers would like,” Shawn House-Fedor, Hershey’s senior director of research and development, previously told reporters.
Introduced by Hershey Ghost-shaped Twizzler They’ve re-released Reese’s in spooky shapes, including ghosts and pumpkins. They also leveraged other famous intellectual properties for packaging design, including Peanuts’ “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and “Harry Potter.”
similarly, candy giant mars It has launched new seasonal packaging for M&M’s and Snickers, as well as a Halloween blend for M&M’s milk chocolate, peanut and peanut butter varieties.
Some companies have benefited from an early start to the Halloween candy buying season. A report from Mars earlier this year found that, on average, younger consumers are more likely to start planning for Halloween nearly two months before the holiday, contributing to the “Summerween” trend.
Hershey, for example, took credit for early shipments of Halloween candy. In the second quarter performance.
“We’re really excited that we have plans to deliver another strong Halloween in Year 25,” former Hershey CEO Michele Buck told investors in July. “Retailers are excited to raise the bar higher this year and continue to deliver an exciting season for our customers.”
