Halloween treats are expected to be more expensive in the UK this year after figures revealed the price of chocolate rose by 11 per cent in the year to August.
The soaring cost, which has far outstripped overall food and drink prices, rising 2.7 per cent over the same period, is due to record-breaking cocoa prices following poor harvests caused by bad weather in West Africa.
The latest Which? inflation tracker found the cost of Sainsbury's No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate (100g) almost doubled, rising from an average of 95p ($1.26) in the three months to the end of August 2023, to £1.84 in the same period in 2024.
Among branded versions, Prestat Chocolates & Truffles Assortment (210g) increased by 88 per cent at Ocado, from £17 last August to £32 just a year later.
Asda's Moo Free Dairy Free & Vegan Original Chocolate Bar (80g) rose from £1.50 to £2.40, an increase of 60 per cent.
The 216g Cadbury Family Treatsize Multipack increased from £2.50 to £3.72 at Sainsbury's, while the Cadbury Milk Tray Chocolate Box (360g) rose from £4.01 to £5.74 at Morrisons, and the Twix Caramel & White Chocolate Fingers Biscuit Snack Bars Multipack (9 x 20g) increased from £1.65 to £2.35 at Asda – all price rises of more than 40 per cent in a year.
Some other products also saw significant price increases, according to the tracker, including Sainsbury's Fat Free Natural Yoghurt (500g), doubling in price from an average 45p to 90p a year later, and Aldi's Acti Leaf Unsweetened UHT Soya Drink (1L), increasing by 70 per cent from 50p to 85p.
Overall, Which? found food and drink prices were 16.6 per cent higher in the three months to the end of August 2024, compared with the same period two years earlier, showing the challenge many shoppers face to afford everyday essentials.
Which? Retail editor Ele Clark said: "Our research shows that despite overall food and drink inflation continuing to fall, chocolate prices have risen dramatically in the last year.
"To ensure you get the best value for money on your Halloween chocolate, shop around and compare the price per gram across different pack sizes, retailers and brands."
An Asda spokesman said: "Asda is consistently recognised as the best-value traditional supermarket in independent price comparison surveys, including the Grocer 33 basket comparison and the Which? monthly big shop trolley comparison."
Morrisons supermarket said it is working hard to keep prices down.
A spokesperson said: "Our More Card members can also earn points on selected purchases, including fuel, and redeem those points for fivers off their shopping. They also benefit from market-leading discounts as well as personalised offers and surprises."
Sainsbury's has also pledged to offer value for money.
"While prices can go up and down for a range of reasons, we're committed to offering our customers great choice and value when they shop with us," a spokesperson said.
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog:
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian
Favourite food: Pizza
Best food on the road: rice
Favourite colour: silver
Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda
Favourite biking destination: Canada
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
