Shoppers hunting for the best Halloween candy deal might be surprised by which store actually wins and which one hides the best bargain.
Halloween candy prices at Walmart, Target and Publix were put to the test on October 18, 2026, when TheStreet's Daniel Kline and Celine Provini visited five stores in the same South Florida neighborhood. Their goal was simple: find out who really charges less for the fun-size candy bags families buy every October.
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How the Halloween candy price test worked
The two editors did not just glance at shelf tags. They walked through Walmart, Target and Publix stores located close together, checking prices on the small, individually wrapped candies most people hand out to trick-or-treaters. These tamper-evident fun-size packs are the standard choice for Halloween night, which made them the fairest way to compare stores.
The whole shopping trip took about two hours. That detail matters because it shows this was a real, timed, boots-on-the-ground comparison, not just a scan of online prices. It also means results reflect one specific day and one specific area, so shoppers in other cities might see slightly different numbers.
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Walmart comes out ahead on Halloween candy prices
When it came to Halloween candy prices, Walmart was the clear winner. TheStreet's report states plainly that Walmart "was the clear price leader," beating both Target and Publix on cost across most products checked. Walmart also carried the widest variety of candy, giving shoppers more brands and bag sizes to pick from.
Target landed in second place, and its prices were close enough to Walmart's that switching stores might not be worth the extra trip. The report describes Target as having "a slightly broader selection" compared to Publix, even though it still trailed Walmart on overall pricing. For someone already running errands at Target, the small price gap likely is not worth a separate stop at Walmart.
Publix told a different story. Prices there were generally higher, and the candy selection had real gaps. TheStreet pointed out "some obvious holes" on Publix shelves, including a surprising lack of single-serving M&M's at the stores they visited. For shoppers who want the widest pick of brands, Publix came up short this year.
A hidden deal flips the Halloween candy price script
Despite its higher regular prices, Publix had an ace up its sleeve. Two buy-one-get-one promotions ended up delivering the cheapest candy of the entire comparison. The standout deal involved Butterfinger fun-size bars, where two bags totaling 19.8 ounces and roughly 60 bars together cost just $11.59. That works out to about 19 cents per bar, the lowest per-piece price found anywhere in the test.
The catch is that these BOGO brands were not necessarily the most popular picks for trick-or-treaters. Still, for budget-focused shoppers willing to hand out a slightly different mix of candy, Publix's promotion beat both Walmart and Target on pure cost per piece. It is a reminder that regular shelf prices do not always tell the whole story.
Why candy costs more everywhere this year
This store comparison did not happen in a vacuum. Government data backs up what shoppers have been feeling at checkout. The Bureau of Labor Standards' September Consumer Price Index, released October 14, 2026, showed candy and chewing gum prices up 7.7% compared to a year earlier. Other outlets reported the increase as nearly 8% year over year, pointing to rising sugar and cocoa costs plus extreme weather disrupting cocoa supply chains in producing regions.
Longer-term numbers are murkier. One report using Labor Department figures claimed candy prices jumped 45% over five years, while a separate ABC News report put the five-year increase closer to 13%. The gap likely comes down to different products and methods being measured, but the bigger picture is consistent: candy costs more now than it did a few years ago, and shoppers are noticing.
What this means for Halloween shoppers this year
A separate retailer check reported by CBS News backs up Walmart's reputation for value, finding Walmart offered the largest selection among stores visited and a non-chocolate candy mix running about 36 cents per ounce. That same report ranked Costco cheapest for all-chocolate mixes at 27 cents per ounce, with Walmart, Target and Smart & Final following behind.
The takeaway for anyone filling a candy bowl this year is to look past the sticker price. Checking price per ounce or price per piece, watching for BOGO deals, and comparing package counts can save real money. Prices and selection will keep shifting as Halloween gets closer, so the smartest move is checking the shelf tag or store app on the actual day of shopping rather than relying on last week's prices.
