Halloween May Not Be as Chocolatey This Year

You might see more candy corn and caramels than chocolate bars this Halloween, thanks to what NPR calls "scary-high" cocoa prices that have been rising all year. Poor crops for multiple seasons in West Africa, where the majority of the world's cocoa originates, have forced chocolate manufacturers to raise prices. According to the Producer Price Index, the cost of chocolate and confectionary manufacturing using cocoa spiked 45% from January through September.

Meanwhile, dollar sales of chocolate candies rose 1.5% over the past year, according to the National Confectioners Association—but the number of chocolate candy units sold over that same period fell nearly 5%. "Chocolate candy, there's just not as many items per retailer on shelf," Circana's Dan Sadler tells Reuters. "We're seeing double-digit increases in non-chocolate items."

CNN concedes that candy manufacturers are therefore "getting creative" this Halloween, including by shrinking candy bar sizes or veering away from chocolate altogether. Chocolate giant Hershey, for example, has debuted Jolly Rancher Ropes and Shaq-a-Licious gummies, named after the basketball star. Candymaker Mars says it's similarly introducing more non-chocolate offerings. Experts anticipate that cocoa prices will remain high through at least next September, when improved weather conditions in Africa will hopefully start to restore cocoa crops. (Half of this year's most popular candy brands contain chocolate.)