This Halloween, families are experiencing a fright at the grocery store as prices for most food items have risen compared to last year, with chocolates and candies particularly seeing a notable increase in cost. While Statistics Canada does not specifically track Halloween-themed items, confectionery items, including chocolates and sugary treats, have seen a 10.4% price hike in Newfoundland and Labrador this September compared to the same period last year.
To investigate further, CBC News visited three different grocery stores in St. John’s to monitor the price changes. For instance, as of Monday, a 50-pack of mini Nestle chocolate bars was priced at $15.99 before taxes at Sobeys, $10 at Dominion, and Walmart advertised 100 of the same bars for $17.97 on the same day.
According to Memorial University business professor Tom Cooper, various factors are contributing to the surge in prices. Cooper mentioned the cocoa harvest failure in Nigeria due to drought and climate change, causing a significant rise in cocoa prices. Additionally, global prices for cocoa and chocolate products reached a peak in 2024 due to crop failures, with prices still elevated by 10 to 20% across Canada, as noted by the Retail Council of Canada.
Furthermore, the Retail Council attributed the higher prices to the previous impact of U.S. tariffs, which have since been removed. Cooper emphasized the complexity of these price hikes, linking them to the general inflation of these products. The overall inflation rate in Canada rose to 2.4% in September.
Despite the increased prices, Cooper reminded trick-or-treaters that Halloween is not just about the treats, and they should not be disheartened if their candy bags are not overflowing this year.
