Candy prices surge beyond inflation, but Americans still plan to spend billions on Halloween staples

Trick-or-treating, like most expenses recently, will come with a bigger price tag this Halloween. The increase is hitting as families prepare for a holiday built around candy. Shoppers, however, still plan to spend billions on Halloween treats, even as rising prices make affordability part of the seasonal calculation. Candy prices rose 7.7% over the year through September, more than twice the overall inflation rate of 3.7%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figure tracks candy and