BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 If you’re noticing higher prices while stocking up on Halloween candy this year, you’re not alone. From national retailers to local sweet shops, the cost of your favorite seasonal treats is on the rise \u2014 and even longtime Bakersfield businesses are feeling the pinch.<\/p>\n
At Sweet Mae\u2019s Sweet Tooth, a beloved Kern County candy shop that’s served the community for over 15 years, handmade favorites like caramel apples, Rice Krispie treats, and chocolates are flying off the shelves this time of year. But this season, customers are also being met with something new: steeper price tags.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had to raise all our prices two months ago \u2014 10% on everything,\u201d said\u00a0Gary Sanrini, owner of Sweet Mae\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The Cocoa Crisis and Inflation Collide<\/p>\n
The price hike isn\u2019t just a local trend. A major factor behind rising candy costs is the soaring price of cocoa. With more than 70% of the world\u2019s cocoa grown in West Africa, a significant drop in production \u2014 coupled with ongoing inflation and global supply chain issues \u2014 is driving up chocolate prices across the board.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition to the higher price, the tariff is like a tax,\u201d said economist\u00a0Aaron Hedge. \u201cThe cocoa manufacturers are buying is a lot higher \u2014 at least 10 to 15% more \u2014 because of tariffs and supply and demand.\u201dSince 2020, Halloween candy prices have surged a staggering 78% \u2014 more than three times the national inflation rate of 25%. A 100-piece bag of Halloween candy now averages $16.39, up $7.20 from just five years ago.<\/p>\n
But for shop owners like Sanrini, cocoa isn’t the only culprit.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really isn\u2019t chocolate or food prices \u2014 it\u2019s utilities,\u201d Sanrini explained. \u201cOur PG&E bill is about $18,000 a month. Property taxes went up. Our insurance costs went way up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shrinkflation Is Also Haunting Shoppers<\/p>\n
In addition to paying more, consumers are getting less \u2014 a trend known as shrinkflation. Many candy brands are reducing package sizes or individual candy portions without lowering prices, making it harder to stretch Halloween budgets.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t expect a whole lot of candy,\u201d said Hedge. \u201cPeople are feeling the pinch. Some may still spend because it\u2019s a once-a-year holiday \u2014 they enjoy giving it out \u2014 but many are cutting back. The size might be smaller.\u201d<\/p>\n
How to Save This Halloween<\/p>\n
Despite rising prices, Americans are spending more on Halloween than ever before. Still, experts offer some practical tips for saving:<\/p>\n
Buy in bulkLook for store sales or couponsCompare prices across retailersSet a spending limit before you shop<\/p>\n
Whether you’re passing out goodies or going door-to-door, this Halloween may require a bit more planning \u2014 and a slightly smaller haul.<\/p>\n
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 If you’re noticing higher prices while stocking up on Halloween candy this year, you’re…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8837,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[151,155,153,152,162],"class_list":["post-8836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield-downtown","tag-bakersfield-headlines","tag-bakersfield-news","tag-kern-county-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8836"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8836\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}