"Trick-or-treaters may find more fruity candy than chocolate among their Halloween handouts this year. That should be fine with younger consumers, who have been gravitating for years toward non-chocolate candies like gummies, freeze-dried treats and other sweets that come in a variety of shapes, colors and flavors. Last year, 52% of the total volume of Halloween candy sold in the U.S. was made of chocolate, according to Dan Sadler, a principal for client insights at the market research company Circana."
"Prices may be part of it. Global cocoa prices more than quadrupled between January 2023 and January 2025 due to poor harvests in West Africa, where 70% of cocoa is produced. Chocolate candy is lot more expensive as a result. Chocolate Halloween candy in the U.S. cost an average of $8.02 per pound in the 12 weeks ahead of Oct. 5, while non-chocolate candy cost an average of $5.77 per pound, Sadler said."
Younger consumers have gravitated toward non-chocolate candies such as gummies, freeze-dried treats and colorful shaped sweets. Chocolate represented 44% of Halloween candy sold in the U.S. in the 12 weeks ending Oct. 5, down from 52% the prior year. Global cocoa prices more than quadrupled between January 2023 and January 2025 because of poor West Africa harvests, raising chocolate costs. Chocolate Halloween candy averaged $8.02 per pound versus $5.77 for non-chocolate in the same period. Americans spent $7.4 billion on Halloween candy in 2024, and major manufacturers continue large-scale production.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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