MAINE, USA — If you’ve noticed higher price tags on Halloween treats this year, you're not imagining it. Whether it’s a big bag of name-brand candy or gourmet chocolates from local shops, the cost of satisfying trick-or-treaters is higher than ever.

At Dean’s Sweets in Portland, co-owner Dean Bingham says the price of their key ingredient, Belgian chocolate, has nearly doubled since last Halloween.

“This block of milk chocolate now costs about $110. That’s almost twice what we paid last year,” Bingham said, lifting a hefty 11-pound slab of chocolate in his shop.

To offset costs, Dean’s Sweets has raised prices on some items by 5 to 10 percent, hoping to maintain a slim profit margin while still offering seasonal favorites like chocolate pumpkins and chocolate-covered peeps.

Why are can

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