Chocolate costs much more than it did a year ago, yet shoppers still fill their carts. National Chocolate Day falls on Oct. 28, in the middle of the year’s busiest candy-buying weeks. The higher prices haven’t stopped the buying, and even the companies selling the candy say so.
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw2==@H66? 72==D ;FDE E9C66 52JD 27E6C }2E:@?2= r9@4@=2E6 s2J[ C:89E 2D E96 3FD:6DE D9@AA:?8 DEC6E49 @7 E96 72== <:4<D :? 2?5 42?5J 3@H=D 7:== FA 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ] !6@A=6 9625:?8 :?E@ E9@D6 H66<D 2C6 E:89E6?:?8 E96:C 3F586ED[ 3C24:?8 7@C 9:896C AC:46D 367@C6 E96J 6G6? C6249 E96 42?5J 2:D=6] |2?J D2J E96J 4@>A2C6 DE@C6 3C2?5D 2?5 H2E49 7@C D2=6D[ E96? AFE 49@4@=2E6 :? E96 42CE 2?JH2J[ AC:46 E28 2?5 2==]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmr2?5J AC:46D @FEA246 6G6CJE9:?8 6=D6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3=D]8@G^?6HD]C6=62D6^4A:]9E>Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmC646?E 7656C2= C6A@CEk^2m 7@F?5 E92E 42?5J 2?5 496H:?8 8F> AC:46D C@D6 f]fT @G6C E96 `a >@?E9D 6?5:?8 :? $6AE6>36C[ >@C6 E92? 5@F3=6 E96 b]fT :?4C62D6 :? @G6C2== 4@?DF>6C AC:46D] $F82C 2?5 DH66ED 2D 2 3C@256C 42E68@CJ C@D6 d]dT @G6C E96 D2>6 A6C:@5] v@G6C?>6?E 52E2 4@?7:C> D9@AA6CD 2C6?’E :>28:?:?8 :E[ 2?5 42?5J 2?5 496H:?8 8F> C2?< 2>@?8 E96 72DE6C\C:D:?8 8C@46CJ 42E68@C:6D @G6C E96 A2DE J62C]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmw6CD96J’D @H? ?F>36CD D9@Hk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6CD96J D2:5 :? 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9696CD96J4@>A2?J]4@>^6?0FD^9@>6^?6HDC@@>^AC6DD\C6=62D6^a_ae\_f\b_\w6CD96J\#6A@CED\$64@?5\"F2CE6C\a_ae\u:?2?4:2=\#6DF=ED]9E>=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmyF=J b_ D64FC:E:6D 7:=:?8k^2m E92E 9:896C AC:46D 25565 23@FE `c A@:?ED E@ ?6E D2=6D 8C@HE9 :? :ED }@CE9 p>6C:42 4@?764E:@?6CJ 3FD:?6DD =2DE BF2CE6C] '@=F>6 :? E92E D68>6?E 76== 23@FE `_ A@:?ED @G6C E96 D2>6 A6C:@5[ 2?5 E96 7:=:?8 2EEC:3FE65 E96 5C@A :? A2CE E@ AC:46 6=2DE:4:EJ[ E96 64@?@>:4 E6C> 7@C D9@AA6CD 3FJ:?8 =6DD 2D AC:46D C:D6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmtG6? H:E9 G@=F>6 5@H?[ w6CD96J D2:5 :ED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9696CD96J4@>A2?J]4@>^6?0FD^9@>6^?6HDC@@>^AC6DD\C6=62D6^a_ae\_f\b_\w6CD96J\#6A@CED\$64@?5\"F2CE6C\a_ae\u:?2?4:2=\#6DF=ED]9E>=Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm&]$] 42?5J[ >:?E 2?5 8F> C6E2:= D2=6Dk^2m 8C6H b]fT @G6C E96 `a H66<D 6?5:?8 yF=J `h[ E9@F89 :ED D92C6 @7 E92E >2C<6E D=:AA65 3642FD6 @7 H92E E96 7:=:?8 42==65 :?4C62D65 4@>A6E:E:G6 :??@G2E:@?] w6CD96J’D 49:67 6I64FE:G6[ z:C< %2??6C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D64]8@G^pC49:G6D^6582C^52E2^_____cf```^___`eagag_ae_d_feh^6I9:3:Ehh`0a_aeIBa]9E>Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmD2:5 :? E96 7:=:?8k^2m E92E 4@DE G:D:3:=:EJ 2?5 @A6C2E:?8 7=6I:3:=:EJ A@D:E:@? E96 4@>A2?J E@ 92?5=6 F?D6EE=65 >2C<6ED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmx?E6C?2E:@?2==J[ w6CD96J D2:5 AC:4:?8 25565 23@FE `_ A@:?ED E@ D2=6D =2DE BF2CE6C[ H9:=6 G@=F>6 76== 23@FE gT[ A2CE=J 7C@> AC:46 6=2DE:4:EJ 2?5 A2CE=J 7C@> H@C<:?8 E9C@F89 :?G6?E@CJ D9:AA65 62C=J :? E96 J62C] %96 42E68@CJ 2D 2 H9@=6 :D DE:== 8C@H:?8[ E9@F89 w6CD96J :D?’E 42AEFC:?8 2== @7 :E]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm$9@AA6CD 2C6 25;FDE:?8[ ?@E H2=<:?8 2H2Jk^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?C7]4@>^>65:2\46?E6C^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^?C7\92==@H66?\DFCG6J\D9@HD\4@?DF>6C\DA6?5:?8\6IA64E65\E@\C6249\`b\d\3:==:@?Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmC646?E DFCG6Jk^2m 7@F?5 E92E heT @7 D9@AA6CD DE:== A=2? E@ 3FJ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^92==@H66?\42?5J\:?8C65:6?ED^Qm42?5Jk^2m E9:D J62C[ >2<:?8 :E E96 9@=:52J’D >@DE A@AF=2C AFC492D6[ H:E9 DA6?5:?8 AC@;64E65 2E Sc]` 3:==:@? @7 E96 S`b]d 3:==:@? E@E2=] pG6C286 w2==@H66? DA6?5:?8 A6C D9@AA6C :D 6IA64E65 E@ C6249 S``d]`c[ C@F89=J 7=2E 7C@> S``c]cd =2DE J62C[ 6G6? 2D AC:46D 7@C >2?J 9@=:52J DE2A=6D CF? 9:896C] %96 2AA6E:E6 7@C E96 9@=:52J :ED6=7 92D?’E D9CF?<[ H:E9 fcT @7 p>6C:42?D A=2??:?8 E@ 46=63C2E6 E9:D J62C[ FA D=:89E=J 7C@> fbT =2DE J62C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmx7 AC:46D 4@>6 :? 9:896C E92? 6IA64E65[ b`T @7 D9@AA6CD D2J E96J H@F=5 4@>A2C:D@? D9@A[ aeT H@F=5 =@@< 7@C 4@FA@?D @C D2=6D 2?5 bcT H@F=5 =@@< 7@C :E6>D E96J 42? C6FD6 @C C6AFCA@D6 =2E6C] s:D4@F?E DE@C6D C6>2:? E96 E@A 56DE:?2E:@?[ ?2>65 3J bhT @7 D9@AA6CD] }62C=J 92=7 A=2? E@ DE2CE D9@AA:?8 :? $6AE6>36C @C 62C=:6C[ H66<D 367@C6 E96 9@=:52J]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmr@4@2 8@E 6IA6?D:G6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6CD96J 92D A@:?E65 E@ :?8C65:6?E 4@DED[ 6DA64:2==J 4@4@2[ 2D E96 >2:? C62D@? 7@C :ED @H? AC:46 :?4C62D6D] x? yF=J a_ad[ E96 4@>A2?J E@=5 C6E2:=6CD :E H2D C2:D:?8 AC:46D 3J H92E :E 42==65 2 5@F3=6\5:8:E A6C46?E286[ 4:E:?8 H92E 2 DA@<6DA6CD@? 42==65 E96 F?AC64656?E65 4@DE @7 4@4@2] %96 DA@<6DA6CD@? D2:5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D?24<2?532<6CJ]4@>^2CE:4=6D^``c`d_\96CD96J\E@\C2:D6\AC:46D\2>:5\C:D:?8\4@4@2\4@DEDQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm2E E96 E:>6k^2m E92E E96 :?4C62D6 H2D?’E C6=2E65 E@ E2C:77D @C EC256 A@=:4J]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|@?E9D 62C=:6C[ @? 2 |2J a_ad 62C?:?8D 42==[ |:496=6 qF4<[ w6CD96J’D 49:67 6I64FE:G6 2E E96 E:>6[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D?24<2?532<6CJ]4@>^2CE:4=6D^``c`d_\96CD96J\E@\C2:D6\AC:46D\2>:5\C:D:?8\4@4@2\4@DEDQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmE@=5 :?G6DE@CDk^2m E96 4@>A2?J H@F=5 =62? >@C6 @? AC@5F4ED E92E FD6 =6DD 4@4@2 2?5 25;FDE A24< D:K6D 2=@?8D:56 AC:4:?8[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C D62D@?2= :E6>D] r@4@2 AC:46D ?62C=J EC:A=65 :? a_ac[ AC6DDFC6 E92E 49@4@=2E6 >2<6CD @7 6G6CJ <:?5[ 7C@> 32CD E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DA=2D9@7E2DE6]4@>^49@4@=2E6\ECF77=6D^Qm49@4@=2E6 ECF77=6Dk^2m[ 92G6 925 E@ 23D@C3]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmw2?5:?8 @FE 42?5J 92D?’E 8@?6 @FE @7 DEJ=6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmtG6? H:E9 AC:46D 4=:>3:?8[ e`T @7 D9@AA6CD :? E96 D2>6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?C7]4@>^>65:2\46?E6C^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^?C7\92==@H66?\DFCG6J\D9@HD\4@?DF>6C\DA6?5:?8\6IA64E65\E@\C6249\`b\d\3:==:@?Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmDFCG6Jk^2m ?2>65 92?5:?8 @FE 42?5J 2D E96:C E@A H2J E@ 46=63C2E6 w2==@H66?[ 29625 @7 2?J @E96C 24E:G:EJ[ 7C@> 4@DEF>6D E@ 564@C2E:?8] u@C 2 49@4@=2E6 :?5FDECJ 492C8:?8 >@C6 A6C 328[ E92E 923:E :D H92E <66AD E96 9:896C AC:46D H@C<:?8]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmy6??:76C p==6? :D 2 C6E:C65 AC@76DD:@?2= 4967 2?5 =@?8\E:>6 HC:E6C] w6C H@C< 2AA62CD :? 5@K6?D @7 AF3=:42E:@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 |$}[ *29@@[ %96 (2D9:?8E@? !@DE 2?5 %96 $62EE=6 %:>6D] %96D6 52JD[ D96’D 3FDJ :? E96 <:E496? 56G6=@A:?8 C64:A6D 2?5 EC2G6=:?8 E96 H@C=5[ 2?5 J@F 42? 7:?5 2== 96C 36DE 4C62E:@?D 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4@@<H92EJ@F=@G6]4@>^Qmr@@< (92E *@F {@G6k^2m]k^Am
kAm%96 A@DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^AC:4:6C\49@4@=2E6\?2E:@?2=\49@4@=2E6\52J^QmtG6? 42?5J >2<6CD 25>:E AC:4:6C 49@4@=2E6 92D?’E D42C65 @77 D9@AA6CDk^2m 2AA62C65 7:CDE @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m]k^Am
