Halloween candy, a sweet deal
It’s a favorite festival for kids… and a lucrative market for producers. According to the latest UFC-Que Choisir study, candy with the word “Halloween” costs an average of 30% more compared to the classic releases of the rest of the year.
A price difference justified, depending on the brand, by the packaging, the colors and the “scary” shapes (pumpkins, ghosts, spiders, etc.) designed to seduce little monsters. In reality the ingredients change little; but the margin is sky high.
This is how a bag of Haribo “Scaremix” or Carambar “Halloween Party” is sold. more expensive per kilo than a classic package from the same manufacturer. All it takes is a simple visual change to increase your bill.
Prices falling (a little), but not for everyone
The consumer association noted a average drop of 3% on all the surprises compared to 2023. A welcome respite after two years of double-digit increases, linked to sugar and raw materials inflation.
But this trend remains to be defined: thematic versions escape moderation. Packaging and displaying on holiday shelves often involve additional costs that distributors know how to make profitable.
Ultimately, families who simply want to hand out a few treats door-to-door on Halloween end up paying more… for the same amount of sugar.
Drinks add to the bill
But the real shock of this Halloween 2025 comes… from drinks. These bottles that often accompany the sweets are the ones that increase the bill the most. According to UFC-Que Choisir, the 25 soda references studied cost on average 16% more than last year.
In question, the the soda tax increase occurred last Marchshould encourage sugar reduction. A measure which, unsurprisingly, was directly reflected on shelf prices. Drinks containing between 7 and 8 grams of sugar per liter have seen their taxes increase 27 cents a bottlebut in reality the indicated increase far exceeds this amount.
Private label colas, while the most accessible, have particularly suffered. In one year, the The 2 liter bottle has gone from around €1 to over €1.50OR increase of almost 58%. ! In other words, the tax explains only half of the price surge: brands clearly took advantage of the opportunity to inflate their margins a little more.
How to buy without being bewitched
The association’s recommendation is simple: favor sweets in bulk or family format rather than Halloween limited editions. Standard packs of Haribo, Lutti or Carambar are often cheaper and just as festive when poured into a salad bowl.
The UFC-Que Choisir reminds you that price is not the only criterion: certain candies always contain too many additives or colorants controversial. The association encourages reading labels and limiting consumption, especially among young people.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
