Updated October 24, 2025 at 9:49 AM EDT

NPR's series Cost of Living: The Price We Pay is examining what's driving price increases and how people are coping after years of stubborn inflation. How are higher prices changing the way you live? Fill out this form to share your story with NPR.

What's the item?

Candy

How has the price changed since before the pandemic?

The price of chewing gum and candy has risen 39% since February 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why has the price gone up?

The cost of chocolate's main ingredient — cocoa — has nearly doubled since the beginning of last year, hitting historic records again and again.

That's because harvests of cocoa have come up short for three years straight. The vast majority of the world's cocoa beans grow in West Afri

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