Why Your Halloween Candy Has Less Chocolate This Year

This Halloween, candy lovers across the U.S. are in for a surprise — their favorite chocolate treats are getting smaller, pricier, and less chocolatey.

Global cocoa prices have soared nearly 180% in 2024, after poor harvests in Ghana and Ivory Coast, which together produce most of the world’s cocoa beans. That spike is hitting every level of the industry, from big candy makers like Hershey’s and Mars to local chocolate shops.

To offset the surge in cocoa costs, companies are shrinking chocolate bars, using less cocoa, and filling products with more sugar — meaning your Halloween candy could be lighter, sweeter, and less rich in flavor.

Meanwhile, gummy and sour candies are replacing traditional chocolate as cheaper, high-profit alternatives — especially popular among younger consumers.

Even artisanal chocolatiers are struggling, paying up to three or four times more for cocoa beans while cutting back on cup sizes and packaging costs.

So this Halloween, the biggest scare might not be the costumes — it’s realizing your trick-or-treat bag is full of less chocolate and more sugar.