Candy prices up 13% from last year as Halloween quickly approaches
For 32 years, Steve Benveniste has opened his popular Toluca Lake haunted maze and pumpkin patch every October for families to enjoy.
"This is my little baby out here," said Benveniste.
But now, just like with many other things in the United States, families and Benveniste are forced to pay more to enjoy the spooky season.
"Everything, in general, has gone up — everything," said Benveniste.
For this Halloween, he's spent about $20,000 on his pumpkin patch, about 10% more than last year.
"I can't bump up my revenue 10% because I don't scare people away," Benveniste said. "I might have to absorb that."
The cost of candy has also increased 13.1% in the past year. The National Retail Federation estimates that people will spend more than $3 billion on Halloween candy.
"If you have a busy house with lots of people trick-or-treating, you're definitely going to spend more," said smart shopping expert Trae Bodge.
Smart shopping expert Trae Bodge says Halloween will be one of the most expensive holidays this year as families also deal with shrinkflation, which is the process where consumer items shrink in size while remaining at the same or even increasing in price.
"I would expect to see that in candy this year for Halloween," said Bodge. "So you'll have to buy more bags."
Bodge recommends buying in bulk, waiting for those last-minute deals and finding a neighborhood costume swap to participate in.
"We are seeing a pre-pandemic level of participation in Halloween," said Bodge.
The high costs have not deterred those who love the spooky holiday. Laura Martinez said she's not cutting back because of her love of Halloween. She's spent $500 on decorations and another $700 for her Halloween party.
