Boo: Inflation means an hour of work buys fewer candy bars in 2026

S&P Global found that an hour of work would translate to 15.8 candy bars this year, similar to the 15.6 in 2012. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The spookiest day of the year is getting especially bone-chilling at the grocery store.Halloween candy lovers are in for a fright when they stock up for trick-or-treating (or personal consumption): Prices for candy and chewing gum have grown 7.7% year-over-year in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, far outpacing general inflation of 3.7% in the same period.That means candy prices have grown faster than breakfast cereal, meats, and apparel. Broadly, inflation has surpassed wage growth for each of the past six months. In candy terms, that means that an hour of work will earn the average worker fewer candy bars in 2026 than in previous years, according to an analysis from S&P Global. In total, an hour of work will earn you 15.79 candy bars this year, compared to 17.46 in 2019."Consumers are defying their fears, but doing so requires using credit cards and saving less," an S&P Global report said.Valerie Edwards, 49, says Halloween is her "Super Bowl." Last year, she had 700 trick-or-treaters (her neighbor keeps count) lining up for popcorn, hot chocolate, water, and candy. Teens get full-sized bars, while younger children get smaller ones. In 2024, she gave out around $200 worth of candy. This year, the same amount cost $283.She thought about cutting back, but ultimately decided to stay the course: "It's ridiculous, but the kids are so excited, and we're very fortunate that we have the resources to be able to provide these things."Hannah Masters, a millennial in a dual-income, no-kids household, lives in a low-cost-of-living area — although she said these days, it doesn't feel like it. She and her husband have noticed the cost of everything going up, including candy. Even so, she expects to have her usual 100 or 120 kids coming by this year; she's been buying candy and going all out on Halloween displays since moving to the suburbs a decade ago.She used to just go to Costco or Sam's Club to pick up candy, but she now starts browsing different coupon sites in September, so she can stock up on the best deals. Last year, she got a variety bag of 400 chocolates for just under $30. This year, a smaller bag of 360 pieces ran around $38."It's just discouraging," Master said, "because I love Halloween and to see people just stop participating because they can't afford it, that's just sad." Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Madison Hoff is a reporter on Business Insider’s economy team. She covers the labor market, inflation, spending, and other data. In addition to covering new estimates and trends, her workforce reporting includes career pivots, job searching, and side hustles.She also covers downsizing, particularly people selling their houses to pursue RV living. She has also reported on how much teachers spend out of pocket and what it’s like being a caregiver.Her stories often cover the state of the economy, what experts are saying, and how people are navigating the workplace or their careers.Previously, she was a junior reporter and data editorial fellow on the Strategy team. Economy Inflation Halloween More