Why Halloween Candy Costs More In South Jersey This Year

If you’ve walked through a candy aisle in South Jersey lately and felt like your wallet flinched, you're not imagining things.

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Halloween 2025 is shaping up to be the most expensive spooky season yet for sweet tooths everywhere.

Why Is Candy So Expensive This Year?

Here’s the scary part: multiple sources report that the price of cocoa has skyrocketed since early 2024. That means chocolate-based candies like M&Ms, officially crowned New Jersey’s favorite Halloween candy for 2025, are hitting record-high prices. Yikes.

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So, does that mean we’ll see fewer colorful M&Ms in trick-or-treat buckets this year? Honestly, probably. With candy inflation hitting hard, many households may scale back or skip the chocolate altogether.

A Sweet Alternative: “The Teal Pumpkin Project”

If you’re looking to save money and be inclusive, consider joining the Teal Pumpkin Project. This nationwide initiative encourages folks to hand out non-food treats so that kids with allergies or other medical conditions can safely enjoy trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Instead of candy, stock up on things like glow sticks, mini Play-Doh, stickers, temporary tattoos, small party bag toys, or anything that might be deemed a non-edible treat!

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To participate, simply put a teal pumpkin or a sign on your porch to let families know you’ve got allergy-safe options.

Whether you're skipping the M&Ms to save money or to make Halloween more inclusive, there are still plenty of ways to keep the spirit alive without the sugar crash.