Candy has been hit by inflation ahead of the Halloween holiday, with skyrocketing prices especially impacting chocolate.

The cost of candy and chewing gum in U.S. cities rose by nearly 10 percent since last September, with prices now 45 percent higher than the previous decade, according to data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The upward trend is on par with price increases for beef, eggs and other groceries.

Chocolate prices are 76 percent higher than the past decade and have nearly doubled since October 2020, according to the International Cocoa Organization and ABC7.

As a result, Hershey’s variety packs rose 22 percent since last year while Milky Way, M&Ms, Three Musketeers and Skittles — all owned by Mars Inc. — have seen cost increases by 12 percent and Reese’s Peanut Butter c

See Full Page