This Halloween, trick-or-treaters in the US might find fewer chocolates in their bags and more gummies and liquorice instead. American confectionery companies are stocking store shelves with fewer chocolate treats and focusing more on cheaper sweets like gummies, Sour Patch Kids, and Twizzlers, according to Circana, a market research firm.

Why the switch? Chocolate has become more expensive to produce in the US due to a shortage of cocoa beans and the lingering effects of COVID-related supply chain issues. As a result, candy companies are focusing more on non-chocolate treats, which are cheaper to make. However, prices on gummies and liquorice are also going up, though they remain less expensive than chocolate.

Dan Sadler from Circana, who studies confectionery trends, said that stores have fewer chocolate items on their shelves this year, while non-chocolate candy sales are increasing.

Chocolate struggles continue

Earlier in the year, confectionery companies tried a similar strategy for Easter, offering products that had less cocoa. However, it didn’t turn out as well as they hoped. Hershey, one of the largest chocolate makers in the US, saw its Easter sales decline.

For this Halloween, Hershey is offering new products like Reese’s Werewolf Tracks, which has a vanilla crème top instead of milk chocolate, and KitKat Ghost Toast, with a cinnamon-flavoured crème. Hershey also introduced new gummies inspired by basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, called Shaq-a-Licious gummies. The company hopes that non-chocolate candies will become more popular.

Even though chocolate remains the top candy choice for Halloween, there is less chocolate available this year, and it is more expensive than before. Many confectionery companies are focusing on non-chocolate treats to cut costs.

Halloween candy sales start early

Halloween candy sales started earlier than usual this year in the US. Retailers like Kroger began selling Halloween candy as soon as students returned to school, which is the earliest they’ve ever done so. There are also new trends in the US, like "Summerween" and "Augtober," where people begin decorating and celebrating Halloween well before October. Halloween is the biggest holiday for candy sales in the US, and companies rely on these sales to boost their profits.

Kroger has reported seeing more demand for non-chocolate candies this year, while Hershey started selling its Reese’s peanut butter pumpkins online as early as July.

Although Hershey expects Halloween sales to grow, the company has reduced its overall sales growth expectations to just 2% for the year.

Why chocolate is so expensive

The prices of chocolate in the US have been rising. Seasonal chocolate candy has seen a 7.5% price increase compared to last year. According to NielsenIQ, the average price of chocolate has gone up more than 40% since 2020, surpassing the overall rise in food prices.

The reason behind this increase is the rising cost of cocoa beans, which are a key ingredient in making chocolate. While some companies have tried to protect themselves from price hikes by planning ahead, they still face higher costs.

For example, at Target, a 120-piece bag of chocolates like Milky Ways, Snickers, M&Ms, and Twix costs around $19.99 (approximately ₹1,660).

Non-chocolate candies, like gummies and liquorice, are still less expensive than chocolate, but their prices have also been increasing. Confectionery companies are trying to balance the rising costs with customer demand, and this Halloween, US consumers will see more gummies and less chocolate on store shelves, with prices going up for both.

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