Chocolate prices to spook UK customers this Halloween

Soaring cost outstrips overall food and drink prices

Halloween treats are expected to be more expensive in the UK this year after figures revealed the price of chocolate rose by 11 per cent in the year to August. Bloomberg

Halloween treats are expected to be more expensive in the UK this year after figures revealed the price of chocolate rose by 11 per cent in the year to August.

The soaring cost, which has far outstripped overall food and drink prices, rising 2.7 per cent over the same period, is due to record-breaking cocoa prices following poor harvests caused by bad weather in West Africa.

The latest Which? inflation tracker found the cost of Sainsbury's No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate (100g) almost doubled, rising from an average of 95p ($1.26) in the three months to the end of August 2023, to £1.84 in the same period in 2024.

Among branded versions, Prestat Chocolates & Truffles Assortment (210g) increased by 88 per cent at Ocado, from £17 last August to £32 just a year later.

Asda's Moo Free Dairy Free & Vegan Original Chocolate Bar (80g) rose from £1.50 to £2.40, an increase of 60 per cent.

The 216g Cadbury Family Treatsize Multipack increased from £2.50 to £3.72 at Sainsbury's, while the Cadbury Milk Tray Chocolate Box (360g) rose from £4.01 to £5.74 at Morrisons, and the Twix Caramel & White Chocolate Fingers Biscuit Snack Bars Multipack (9 x 20g) increased from £1.65 to £2.35 at Asda – all price rises of more than 40 per cent in a year.

Some other products also saw significant price increases, according to the tracker, including Sainsbury's Fat Free Natural Yoghurt (500g), doubling in price from an average 45p to 90p a year later, and Aldi's Acti Leaf Unsweetened UHT Soya Drink (1L), increasing by 70 per cent from 50p to 85p.

Overall, Which? found food and drink prices were 16.6 per cent higher in the three months to the end of August 2024, compared with the same period two years earlier, showing the challenge many shoppers face to afford everyday essentials.

Which? Retail editor Ele Clark said: "Our research shows that despite overall food and drink inflation continuing to fall, chocolate prices have risen dramatically in the last year.

Mahama Ousmanu, 58, a farmer, works on a cocoa farm in Kwabeng in the Eastern Region, Ghana. Reuters

"To ensure you get the best value for money on your Halloween chocolate, shop around and compare the price per gram across different pack sizes, retailers and brands."

An Asda spokesman said: "Asda is consistently recognised as the best-value traditional supermarket in independent price comparison surveys, including the Grocer 33 basket comparison and the Which? monthly big shop trolley comparison."

Morrisons supermarket said it is working hard to keep prices down.

A spokesperson said: "Our More Card members can also earn points on selected purchases, including fuel, and redeem those points for fivers off their shopping. They also benefit from market-leading discounts as well as personalised offers and surprises."

Sainsbury's has also pledged to offer value for money.

"While prices can go up and down for a range of reasons, we're committed to offering our customers great choice and value when they shop with us," a spokesperson said.