As kids prepare their costumes and families stock up on candy, new analysis from Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation finds that Halloween will be more expensive this year under Trump—with prices for candy up 10.8 percent compared to last year, nearly four times overall inflation. Beyond candy, President Trump’s tariffs are hiking prices for seasonal decorations and costumes, 85 percent of which are made in China.
These price hikes come as families are facing a broader cost of living crunch. For both seasonal staples and year-round essentials, families are being squeezed in the checkout line. Just last month, grocery prices saw their biggest spike in nearly three years, and have increased overall nearly 3 percent since Trump took office.
As prices climb, shoppers are feeling the squeeze: 8 in 10 Americans say tariffs will make Halloween more expensive and many are flocking to discount stores to stock up on Halloween staples, with 42 percent now calling them their go-to destination—up from 37 percent last year.
President Trump promised to lower costs for American families, but has instead turned what should be a time of fun and celebration into a struggle to afford the basics.
Sweet Treats, Sour Prices
Candy is a Halloween staple as four in five Americans purchase sweets during the season. But with prices already soaring, trick-or-treaters may find their bags a little lighter this year. New analysis finds that top Halloween candy packs cost an average of 10.8 percent more this year—nearly four times inflation over the past year.
Price hikes on certain candy staples are especially large: Tootsie Roll lollipops are running families almost 34 percent more this season. Variety packs from Hershey’s (maker of KitKats, Twizzlers, Reeses, and Heath bars) are up 22 percent, while variety packs from Mars (maker of Milky Way, M&Ms, Three Musketeers, and Skittles) are up 12 percent.
Lovers of fruity candies from manufacturers Mondelez (maker of Sour Patch Kids) and Perfetti Van Malle (maker of Airheads) are facing price increases of more than 9 percent and 7 percent, respectively. And bubble-gum-blowers will see price hikes ranging from roughly 5 percent to 7 percent from Charms (maker of Blow Pops and Double Bubble).
Table 1
These price increases are a direct result of Trump’s tariffs, which are hitting key ingredients that candy makers rely on. Approximately 70 percent of cocoa beans are produced in west African countries, and over one-third are processed in European nations. As a result, the vast majority of cocoa and cocoa products have been hit with tariffs ranging between 15 percent and 39 percent.
Chocolate giants like Hershey project $100 million in added costs from these tariffs in just the second half of 2025. For small businesses, the impact is even more dire. Massachusetts-based Taza Chocolate was hit with a more than $24,000 duty on a shipment of cocoa from Haiti, leading the candymaker to consider relocating to Canada and raise its wholesale prices by 10 percent, with further tariff-driven price hikes likely on the horizon.
Spooky Costumes, Scarier Costs
Families are shelling out more than ever this Halloween season—on items from cosplay makeup to giant lawn skeletons. More than 85 percent of Halloween decorations and costumes are made in China, and thanks to Trump, face tariffs nearly 40 percentage points higher than at the start of this year. Now he’s threatening to slap an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese imports.
At Magic Etc. Ft. Worth Costume Inc. in northern Texas, fog machines have jumped from $58 to $74, and the local business faces import surcharges on shipments as high as $700. Even the holiday’s most popular showpieces aren’t immune: last year a twelve-foot Bone Collector at Lowe’s went for $399. This year, it’s listed at $449.
These high prices are scaring off shoppers: Spirit Halloween, which markets itself as the one-stop Halloween shop, has already seen a plunge in sales. Sales were down 32 percent in August and nearly 8 percent in September and the first half of October compared to last year, according to Bloomberg Second Measure’s consumer transaction data.
Even DIY costumes can’t help Halloween-goers escape higher prices, with prices for clothing and shoes rising 25 percent faster than overall inflation. Throwing on a jersey and sneakers might seem like a cheap, low-effort costume, but it still stings as brands like Nike hike prices. A basic costume such as facepainted cat whiskers now costs more, with beauty products imported from South Korea, France, Italy, Canada, and China facing average tariffs of 17 percent, pushing even budget brands like e.l.f. to raise prices.
Retailers like Walmart and Target, where a majority of Americans shop for Halloween supplies, are sounding the alarm that Trump’s chaotic tariffs are causing prices to rise. On the retailers’ August earnings calls, Target CEO Brian Cornell described the tariff environment as “challenging and highly uncertain,” while Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned that, as a result of tariffs, “costs increase each week.” As corporations protect their profit margins, families will be left paying the price for Trump’s trade policies, shouldering more than 50 percent of tariff costs by year’s end, according to Goldman Sachs.
The Fright Doesn’t End with Halloween Night
Halloween season comes as consumer sentiment has sunk to its seventh-lowest reading since records began in 1952—lower than any point during the Great Recession. Skyrocketing prices are hitting families just as it is harder to keep or secure steady paychecks. Wage growth has plunged for workers at the bottom, unemployment is creeping up, and Goldman Sachs has noted that labor market strength has plummeted back to 2015 levels. More and more families are getting trapped in a cycle of debt, with nearly 6 in 10 consumers relying on credit cards and 1 in 4 using Buy Now, Pay Later loans for holiday shopping.
As the president continues waging chaotic trade wars, cancelling public investments, and cutting vital programs like Medicaid and food assistance, there’s no relief in sight for families. Until Trump changes course, working families will keep getting spooked at the checkout line.
Tags: donald trump, tariffs, halloween
Tricks, Treats, and Tariffs: How Trump Is Making Halloween More Expensive
As kids prepare their costumes and families stock up on candy, new analysis from Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation finds that Halloween will be more expensive this year under Trump—with prices for candy up 10.8 percent compared to last year, nearly four times overall inflation. Beyond candy, President Trump’s tariffs are hiking prices for seasonal decorations and costumes, 85 percent of which are made in China.
These price hikes come as families are facing a broader cost of living crunch. For both seasonal staples and year-round essentials, families are being squeezed in the checkout line. Just last month, grocery prices saw their biggest spike in nearly three years, and have increased overall nearly 3 percent since Trump took office.
As prices climb, shoppers are feeling the squeeze: 8 in 10 Americans say tariffs will make Halloween more expensive and many are flocking to discount stores to stock up on Halloween staples, with 42 percent now calling them their go-to destination—up from 37 percent last year.
President Trump promised to lower costs for American families, but has instead turned what should be a time of fun and celebration into a struggle to afford the basics.
Sweet Treats, Sour Prices
Candy is a Halloween staple as four in five Americans purchase sweets during the season. But with prices already soaring, trick-or-treaters may find their bags a little lighter this year. New analysis finds that top Halloween candy packs cost an average of 10.8 percent more this year—nearly four times inflation over the past year.1
Price hikes on certain candy staples are especially large: Tootsie Roll lollipops are running families almost 34 percent more this season. Variety packs from Hershey’s (maker of KitKats, Twizzlers, Reeses, and Heath bars) are up 22 percent, while variety packs from Mars (maker of Milky Way, M&Ms, Three Musketeers, and Skittles) are up 12 percent.
Lovers of fruity candies from manufacturers Mondelez (maker of Sour Patch Kids) and Perfetti Van Malle (maker of Airheads) are facing price increases of more than 9 percent and 7 percent, respectively. And bubble-gum-blowers will see price hikes ranging from roughly 5 percent to 7 percent from Charms (maker of Blow Pops and Double Bubble).
Table 1
These price increases are a direct result of Trump’s tariffs, which are hitting key ingredients that candy makers rely on. Approximately 70 percent of cocoa beans are produced in west African countries, and over one-third are processed in European nations. As a result, the vast majority of cocoa and cocoa products have been hit with tariffs ranging between 15 percent and 39 percent.
Chocolate giants like Hershey project $100 million in added costs from these tariffs in just the second half of 2025. For small businesses, the impact is even more dire. Massachusetts-based Taza Chocolate was hit with a more than $24,000 duty on a shipment of cocoa from Haiti, leading the candymaker to consider relocating to Canada and raise its wholesale prices by 10 percent, with further tariff-driven price hikes likely on the horizon.
Spooky Costumes, Scarier Costs
Families are shelling out more than ever this Halloween season—on items from cosplay makeup to giant lawn skeletons. More than 85 percent of Halloween decorations and costumes are made in China, and thanks to Trump, face tariffs nearly 40 percentage points higher than at the start of this year. Now he’s threatening to slap an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese imports.
At Magic Etc. Ft. Worth Costume Inc. in northern Texas, fog machines have jumped from $58 to $74, and the local business faces import surcharges on shipments as high as $700. Even the holiday’s most popular showpieces aren’t immune: last year a twelve-foot Bone Collector at Lowe’s went for $399. This year, it’s listed at $449.
These high prices are scaring off shoppers: Spirit Halloween, which markets itself as the one-stop Halloween shop, has already seen a plunge in sales. Sales were down 32 percent in August and nearly 8 percent in September and the first half of October compared to last year, according to Bloomberg Second Measure’s consumer transaction data.
Even DIY costumes can’t help Halloween-goers escape higher prices, with prices for clothing and shoes rising 25 percent faster than overall inflation. Throwing on a jersey and sneakers might seem like a cheap, low-effort costume, but it still stings as brands like Nike hike prices. A basic costume such as facepainted cat whiskers now costs more, with beauty products imported from South Korea, France, Italy, Canada, and China facing average tariffs of 17 percent, pushing even budget brands like e.l.f. to raise prices.
Retailers like Walmart and Target, where a majority of Americans shop for Halloween supplies, are sounding the alarm that Trump’s chaotic tariffs are causing prices to rise. On the retailers’ August earnings calls, Target CEO Brian Cornell described the tariff environment as “challenging and highly uncertain,” while Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned that, as a result of tariffs, “costs increase each week.” As corporations protect their profit margins, families will be left paying the price for Trump’s trade policies, shouldering more than 50 percent of tariff costs by year’s end, according to Goldman Sachs.
The Fright Doesn’t End with Halloween Night
Halloween season comes as consumer sentiment has sunk to its seventh-lowest reading since records began in 1952—lower than any point during the Great Recession. Skyrocketing prices are hitting families just as it is harder to keep or secure steady paychecks. Wage growth has plunged for workers at the bottom, unemployment is creeping up, and Goldman Sachs has noted that labor market strength has plummeted back to 2015 levels. More and more families are getting trapped in a cycle of debt, with nearly 6 in 10 consumers relying on credit cards and 1 in 4 using Buy Now, Pay Later loans for holiday shopping.
As the president continues waging chaotic trade wars, cancelling public investments, and cutting vital programs like Medicaid and food assistance, there’s no relief in sight for families. Until Trump changes course, working families will keep getting spooked at the checkout line.
Notes
Tags: donald trump, tariffs, halloween