Bonnie Ostrowski rolled out of Sam’s Club at Pittsburgh Mills pushing a cart full of Halloween goodies.

“I got three grandkids who live with me … that’s why the cart looks the way it does,” Ostrowski said about the bulk-sized packages of candy she purchased recently.

Ostrowski, a retiree from Harrison, went to Sam’s Club for her Halloween candy, saying it was the more affordable option when buying for trick-or-treaters.

Economic experts say shoppers hunting for Halloween candy this year are paying more as tariffs push up the cost of imported goods and cocoa prices reach historic highs. To help shoppers compare options, TribLive analyzed the prices of large candy variety packs and popular king-size candy bars across large grocery stores.

Dorene Ciletti, director of Point Park University’s marketing and sales program, said the price increase is multifaceted. Higher tariffs on imported ingredients such as butter and sugar, as well as disruptions in the supply chain, have raised costs.

“Many people don’t think about what it takes to get candy in front of a trick-or-treater,” she said.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)