Prepare to shell out more for your Halloween chocolate treats this year as cocoa prices surge, potentially leading to higher costs for consumers. Moreover, beware of shrinkflation, a sneaky strategy where companies reduce the weight of products without adjusting prices. Investigating online advertisements for Halloween candies from October 2024, CBC News uncovered that major candy producers, Mars Inc. and the Hershey Company, downsized several Halloween chocolate bar variety packs by up to nearly 17 percent this year. Despite maintaining the same number of candy bars as in 2024, the weight reduction may go unnoticed by shoppers.
Both Mars Inc. and the Hershey Company, based in the U.S., attributed the changes to evolving consumer preferences without providing specific examples. Other instances of shrinkflation have seen companies citing increased production costs as reasons for reducing product weights.
According to Jordan LeBel, a food marketing professor at Concordia University in Montreal, companies employ various tactics to sustain profitability without altering consumer prices directly. As Canadians grapple with escalating grocery expenses, calls for transparency in downsizing products are gaining momentum.
Chocolate Prices on the Rise
Over the past few years, cocoa prices have more than doubled, primarily due to adverse weather conditions in West Africa, the leading global cocoa supplier, resulting in poor harvests. Small cocoa farms face difficulties recovering from such setbacks, impacting the overall supply chain.
Statistics Canada reports a 10 percent increase in confectionery prices, including chocolate, over the last year. Despite this, a comparison of online Halloween ads from October 2024 and 2025 revealed consistent pricing for a Mars “fun size” box of 65 mini-candy bars at $8.99, concealing a notable decrease in weight from 782 grams to 672 grams, representing a 14 percent reduction.
Further scrutiny of Mars “fun size” packs from 2024 disclosed several instances of weight reduction this year, with a 16.8 percent decrease in a 25-candy bar pack. In response to inquiries about the weight changes, Mars emphasized their commitment to offering value and variety while adapting to changing consumer preferences.
Similarly, Hershey’s Halloween 50 mini-candy bars pack witnessed a 6.2 percent weight decrease, with the price remaining unchanged. Hershey’s 100 mini-candy bars pack also underwent a 3.8 percent reduction in weight. Hershey spokesperson Todd Scott explained that product weight adjustments are made to align with consumer demands.
Addressing Shrinkflation Concerns
Unlike some countries like France and Brazil, where manufacturers must inform customers of product weight or volume changes, Canada lacks such regulations. Consumer advocate De Bellefeuille suggests that the Canadian government mandate clear labeling on products undergoing weight alterations to enhance consumer awareness.
However, enforcing such requirements poses challenges, as highlighted by LeBel, questioning the feasibility and penalties for non-compliance. The federal government initiated a grocery task force in 2023 to investigate issues like shrinkflation, emphasizing the importance of consumer protection.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada has funded several research projects examining retail practices harmful to consumers, including shrinkflation. Additionally, online tools like the Food Price Data Hub aim to empower Canadians with information for smarter grocery shopping decisions.