prices have fallen sharply from last year’s record highs, but consumers are still facing higher prices for Easter chocolate, a recent Wells Fargo report said.
As per a CouponFollow analysis, in the last five years, the cost of a full basket has jumped 71%, with roughly three-quarters of that increase driven by candy. Moreover, major chocolate companies raised prices by up to 20% during the cocoa spike in 2024-2025, the Wells Fargo report added.
Even though cocoa prices have eased, Easter chocolate continues to remain expensive.
Here’s why chocolate prices aren’t coming down
Cocoa, a crucial raw material for , has seen prices tumble from above $12,000 per metric ton in late 2024 to around $3,000–$3,300 currently. However, In early 2026, chocolates are costing shoppers about 14% more year over year, according to Datasembly data.
This is mostly because once food companies push prices higher, they tend to be slow in cutting them, even when input costs decline. There are a number of reasons for that.
Most Easter candy was produced months earlier when cocoa was still far more expensive and chocolate makers are also still using costlier cocoa they locked in earlier and hence, they are still grappling to protect the margins after the recent price shock.
Executives at companies like Hershey and Mondelez say they remain hedged above current cocoa prices, limiting how quickly they can pass along savings, an Axios report notes.
Jonathan Horn, CEO of Treefera, tells Axios, “What we’re seeing in the US, including higher prices, smaller sizes and less cocoa in some products, reflects longer-term adjustments”. He goes on to add that prices are “likely to stay high through 2026 and could climb further if supply expectations don’t hold.”
Will the prices come down?
Yes, prices will come down but not immediately.
Supply is improving, with a modest global surplus expected this year and Wells Fargo’s David Branch predicts that consumers may start to see lower chocolate prices later this year, “hopefully in time for Halloween.”
All about Easter Sunday
The celebrations of this day bring together friends, family and tradition. Celebrated with pomp and vigour across the world, Easter falls after the observance of Holy Week. Palm Sunday on 29 March marked the beginning of this festive week, which was followed by Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. The events of this week finally lead up to Easter festivities which falls on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon.
The date of Easter festival is not fixed like . It changes every year and is determined by the lunar calendar. Easter typically falls between late March and April and is observed on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox.
