Halloween shoppers are in for another scare this year as rising prices come for their candy.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of a bulk bag of candy has risen 7.7% over the course of the year, marking a 71% increase since 2021.
HPR took to the streets to ask Oʻahu visitors and residents if this year's candy costs mean their Halloween season will be more trick than treat.
"It's at least double where I come from," said Jean from Georgia. The cost of candy has not only put a damper on her Halloween, but her holiday season overall.
"Our son was going to come, but I'm not sure that he and his partner are going to make it," she told HPR, referencing rising airfare costs.
But what's causing candy costs to climb? The Groundwork Collective, a progressive economic policy group based in Washington, D.C., tried to find an answer.
The group co-authored a report examining the jump in candy prices. HPR spoke Elizabeth Pancotti, the organization's vice president of policy, advocacy and research, to discuss their findings.
Surprisingly, their research found that the wholesale price of candy ingredients like cocoa, sugar and corn syrup have decreased — but those savings aren't being passed to consumers.
"Cocoa prices have fallen by more than half of their 2024 peak ... unfortunately what we've seen though is that candymakers are leaving those prices high and, in fact, hiking them even further," Pancotti said.
The reason, she explained, was due to the rise in other production costs. And while industries across the board are facing these impacts, they're uniquely hurtful for Halloween candy.
"Those candymakers are facing other increased input costs stemming primarily from the Trump administration's economic policy agenda," she explained.
"The tariffs that he has put on aluminum, which goes into packaging a lot of candy and metal wrappers, or for plastic wrappers … particularly affects Halloween candy because so much of it is individually packaged."
Families in America will still be stocking up on their favorite sweet treats for the holiday season, but there's only one way to take the bitter taste out of their wallets, Pancotti said.
"I think the most immediately impactful thing that policymakers could do … is to end the war in Iran and repeal the tariffs," she concluded.
"It is so important that we bring down the price of groceries, the cost at the gas pump, and even for fun things like Halloween candy."
More information about Groundwork Collaborative can be found at their website.
This story aired on The Conversation on Oct. 27, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
