For the second year in a row, U.S. shoppers are seeing double-digit inflation in the candy aisle.
Candy and gum prices are up an average of 13% this month compared to last October, more than double the 6% increase in all grocery prices, according to Datasembly, a retail price tracker. That's on top of a 14% increase in candy and gum prices in October 2022.
Other consumers are changing what they buy. Numerator, a market research firm, said its surveys show about one-third of U.S. consumers plan to trade down to value or store brands when buying candy for trick-or-treaters this year. Kelly Goughary, a senior research analyst with Gro Intelligence, an agricultural analytics firm, said Ivory Coast - which produces around 40% of the world's cocoa - is already showing the signs of one of its worst droughts since 2003.
Discount grocer Aldi is advertising a 250-piece variety pack of Mars Inc. chocolate bars - including Milky Way, Twix and Snickers - for $24.98. Two years ago, the same package was advertised at $19.54.
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