Halloween candy spending shifts to gummies as chocolate prices rise

Americans are poised to spend roughly $3.9 billion on Halloween candy this year as shoppers shift away from chocolate toward gummy and other nonchocolate sweets, industry data and retailer analyses show. The move reflects both changing tastes among younger consumers and higher chocolate prices driven by global cocoa supply disruptions.

Market research firm Circana reported that chocolate accounted for 52 percent of Halloween candy volume last year but fell to 44 percent in the 12 weeks ending Oct. 5. The shift has coincided with a sharp rise in cocoa costs; global cocoa prices more than quadrupled between January 2023 and January 2025 after poor harvests in West Africa, which produces about 70 percent of the world’s cocoa. A metric ton of cocoa hit an all-time high near $10,710 in January, and chocolate Halloween candy averaged $8.02 per pound in the 12 weeks ahead of Oct. 5, compared with $5.77 per pound for nonchocolate candy, Circana said.

Manufacturers and analysts say younger shoppers have increasingly favored gummies, freeze-dried confections and other fruit-flavored items that offer novel shapes, textures and flavors. Shannon Weiner, senior director of consumer insights...