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.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
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SPECS
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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