Australians preparing for Halloween may find the cost of filling the lolly bowl a little higher this year as rising global cocoa and sugar prices continue to flow through to confectionery products.
ANZ analysis shows notable increases in the cost of key ingredients used in many popular Halloween treats. Since February 2026, cocoa prices have more than doubled to around $8,300 per tonne, while sugar prices have increased by around 45 per cent over the same period.
ANZ Executive Director, Food, Beverage and Agribusiness Insights, Michael Whitehead, said the rising cost of Halloween treats reflected broader pressures across global agricultural commodity markets.
"The story behind a Halloween chocolate bar starts long before it reaches Australian supermarket shelves.
"Poor weather conditions and crop disease in some of the world's major cocoa-producing regions have contributed to a sharp rise in cocoa prices this year, while sugar markets have also faced supply pressures.
"As these higher costs move through global supply chains, they can influence the prices consumers pay for chocolates and confectionery here in Australia, particularly during periods of strong seasonal demand such as Halloween."
The rise in cocoa prices has been driven largely by adverse weather conditions and crop disease in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, which together account for approximately 60 per cent of global cocoa production. At the same time, unfavourable weather across several major sugar-producing regions has placed upward pressure on sugar prices as production forecasts have been revised lower.
The journey from cocoa bean to chocolate bar is a global one. Cocoa grown in West Africa can travel through multiple stages of processing, transport and manufacturing before reaching supermarket shelves and, ultimately, Halloween treat buckets across Australia.
With around 4.8 million Australians aged under 15, Halloween generates significant demand for confectionery. If every child collected 20 miniature chocolate treats on Halloween, around 96 million chocolates could change hands in a single evening.
Assuming each treat weighs around 10 grams, that would equate to approximately 960 tonnes of chocolate, containing an estimated 440 tonnes of sugar and requiring around 430 million cocoa beans to produce.
Despite higher costs, Halloween remains a popular annual event for many Australian households, with demand for confectionery likely to remain resilient as families prepare for trick-or-treat celebrations.
