Halloween candy prices soar. Here's where to find deals and save money
The scariest part of Halloween this year may be the price of candy.
Halloween candy prices have risen 71% since 2021, according to a new study by FinanceBuzz, an advertising-supported personal finance media company. But shoppers can still find deals by comparing prices, buying in bulk and opting for a mix of chocolate and non-chocolate sweets.
In a new series, Kristine Saves You Money, consumer investigator Kristine Lazar shopped around to find deals and found ways to save a few bucks.
A price comparison at Smart & Final, Ralphs, Costco, Walmart and Target found Costco offered the best value for an all-chocolate mix, at about 27 cents per ounce.
"We don't want you to get spooked into paying top dollar for your Halloween candy, so we're going to do the price comparison shopping for you," Lazar said.
At Smart & Final, an all-chocolate Halloween candy mix costs $24-99 for 160 pieces, or about 41 cents per ounce. Shoppers looking to save more could opt for non-chocolate candy, including Tootsie Rolls, for $8.99, or about 24 cents per ounce.
Cocoa prices have fallen since reaching a record high in 2024, but candy on store shelves may still reflect higher costs because the cocoa used to make it was purchased months earlier.
At Ralphs, shoppers with a club card can get 25% off bulk Halloween candy. An all-chocolate mix of 165 pieces cost $26.99, while a 180-piece mix containing chocolate and gummies was available for the same price. The mixed bag offered a better value at about 41 cents per ounce, compared with approximately 49 cents per ounce for the all-chocolate option.
Costco, however, offered significantly lower prices. The warehouse retailer's best deal was a $23.99 package containing more than 5.5 pounds of miniature chocolates, working out to about 27 cents per ounce. A mixed candy option was an even better value at about 24 cents per ounce.
Walmart offered the largest candy selection among the retailers visited. Shoppers could choose from all-chocolate candy, non-chocolate options such as Skittles and Starburst, or a combination of both. The best deal was a non-chocolate candy mix containing more than 83 ounces for $29.97, or about 36 cents per ounce.
Target was another option for shoppers buying in bulk, although some products cost more than comparable options at Costco.
For example, Reese's Halloween shapes cost about 55 cents per ounce at Target, compared with 41 cents per ounce at Costco, according to the price comparison.
For shoppers looking specifically for an all-chocolate mix, the comparison ranked the retailers as follows:
- Costco: 27 cents per ounce
- Walmart: 32 cents per ounce
- Target: 34 cents per ounce
- Smart & Final: 41 cents per ounce
- Ralphs: 49 cents per ounce
The prices reflect the products and deals available during the comparison and may vary by location, package size and promotions.
Buying in bulk can help shoppers stretch their Halloween candy budget. Those willing to mix chocolate with non-chocolate sweets may find even better deals.
