Americans are expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween, up from a record $13.1 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Inflation has raised the prices of candy, costumes and pumpkins, with the average pumpkin costing $5.36, an 11% increase from September 2020. Halloween confectionery sales fell 6.7% and chocolate sales dropped 7.2% following disruptions to cocoa supply in West Africa. Wells Fargo forecasts chocolate prices will be about 8% higher than last Halloween, while consumers are favoring smaller packages and alternatives that contain less cocoa. Hershey cut its 2026 organic sales growth forecast to 3%, and several analysts lowered their price targets because of cost pressures and pressure on consumer spending.
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