Halloween candy prices rise sharply in Canada, with salty snacks seeing biggest jump

Canada’s confectionery market has seen prices climb 28% since January 2020, outpacing the overall inflation rate for consumer goods, Statistics Canada data shows. Although September’s confectionery prices fell 2.9% compared with the previous year, many shoppers report higher costs for bulk candy boxes, with some retailers listing 100-piece packs at around $14, a price confirmed at locations such as Calgary Co-op and Save-On-Foods.

Data from the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University indicates that the most significant price increase this October was in salty snacks, which rose about 18% year-over-year. A typical pack of 40 small bags now costs roughly $13, about $2 more than in 2025. The lab’s analysis, based on grocery and pharmacy flyers in major cities, excludes tax and loyalty discounts.

Among sweets, gummy candies saw an 8.4% rise, while chewy candies such as Skittles and Starburst increased about 6.5%. Pressed-sugar candies and many chocolate products have largely stabilized after earlier spikes, aided by last-minute flyer promotions, according to Sylvain Charlebois, director of the lab.

Experts note that past tariff impacts on sugar contributed to earlier price surges. Michael von Massow, a food-agriculture professor at the University of Guelph, said the 2025 tariff on sugar and confectionery was a major factor in the previous year’s price growth.

Consumers are also cautioned about shrink-flation, where product sizes shrink without a price reduction. Charlebois warned that smaller package sizes can offset apparent price savings.

In the United States, candy prices have risen faster than inflation, with a 44% increase over five years, and Halloween candy sales fell 6.7% in mid-October, according to NielsenIQ. Chris Costagli, vice-president of food thought leadership at NielsenIQ, attributed the slowdown to broader cost-of-living pressures rather than candy prices alone.