With prices rising and daily life becoming more expensive, holidays such as Halloween have become unaffordable for many people. While Halloween traditions such as trick or treating and dressing up can often be made simple and affordable, those options are slimming as the cost of candy, clothing and food continues to rise.
The cost-hike of candy available in stores is not something of imagination. AP reported that candy and gum prices have risen nearly 44% in the last five years. CBS reported that a 100-piece assorted bag of candy costs an average of $16.96 this year, which is up 71% from 2021. These higher costs come after the price of cocoa dramatically increased in January 2025. 70% of the world’s chocolate comes from West Africa, which was experiencing bad weather at the time however, while costs of chocolate have since dropped, supply disruptions caused by the Iran war presented more uncertainty causing them to rise once again.
It was reported that non-chocolate Halloween candy costs were down by an average of 3% this year, however, there was no effect on sales despite this. To help cut back on production costs, some companies are even changing the recipes of their beloved candies to include less chocolate, substituting it with cheaper ingredients. Companies like Hershey’s have received criticism and backlash over this decision, reverting their recipes back to the originals for future production.
These price hikes of candy come while grocery prices are up an average of 22.5% as reported by AP. While Halloween is meant to bring communities together, the higher costs associated with the holiday are putting vulnerable communities at risk of missing out on the festivities all together. Higher costs are also affecting textiles and materials used in clothing, making the perfectly curated costume no longer a question of “what to wear” but rather “what is affordable.” CNN reported that consumers are feeling constrained by high inflation when shopping for clothes. It is also reported that many younger generations are turning to thrift shops as the cheaper alternative to big-box stores.
The rising costs are putting a damper on fun events the Halloween season brings, increasing the stress felt by rising costs all across the country. What were once fun and celebratory weekends are now economic propositions. Giving out candy to children, dressing up as your favorite superhero or hosting a party with spooky treats is still possible for now, but as costs only continue to rise, the traditions may be slowly dying because they are simply unaffordable.
Amelie Dobler can be reached at [email protected]
