CINCINNATI — Halloween is a week away, and if you still need to buy some candy for the trick-or-treaters, you’re not alone.

Many shoppers didn’t buy their candy because they were shocked by the price tags this year.

“The price went up exponentially,” said Tracy Singleton, who was shocked by the candy prices while shopping at Kroger in Anderson Township.

Singleton said she knows she’s going to buy candy before Halloween, but she deliberately waits until the last minute in hopes that prices will drop.

“I’m still waiting to see if it goes on sale,” she said. “I think this will make you rethink how much candy you’re going to give out this Halloween,” Singleton said.

We went to four different stores to see where you can get Halloween candy without the scary price tag.

This is what we found:

Kroger

Kroger stores in the Tri-State have a wide selection of candy, and most bags are already marked down.

A 125-count bag of assorted Hershey’s chocolates retails for $15.99.

WCPO

Do you want to be the talk of the neighborhood? Nerds gum clusters are a popular product this year. Kroger sells individual packages in a large bag of 90 pieces.

Taylor Nimmo

Goal

Target has already started lowering the prices on their Halloween candy bags.

We found that Target had a wide selection of combo bags with both candy and chocolate in one bag. This may be the best choice if you are looking for variety.

For example, a bag of 100 contained gummy bears, Twizzlers, Jolly Ranchers, KitKat, Reese’s and Hershey’s all for $14.99.

Taylor Nimmo

Walmart

Walmart has giant bags of candy with some very big savings. They have a wide selection of big bags, but don’t be afraid of the $19 and $24 price tags as each piece is generally much cheaper.

Johannes Matarese

Non-chocolate candy was the best deal at Walmart, like Starburst for just $3.98 a bag. There’s nothing creepy about that.

Johannes Matarese

Wal vegetables

At drugstores, coupons are king.

At Walgreens, rewards members can now get two bags for $7 – a great deal.

Johannes Matarese

Members also get 40% off their second purchase on larger bags.

Why the high chocolate prices?

You may notice that chocolate is more expensive this year. Paul Picton, owner of Maverick Chocolate in Norwood, said cocoa prices have recently doubled due to the drought in Africa.

“The price of cocoa beans at the base level, coming from the farms, has skyrocketed,” Picton said.

It hits shoppers with sticker shock.

“Everything is getting smaller and more expensive,” said one customer.

This year, opting for big bags and non-chocolate can help you save.

If you’re expecting a lot of trick-or-treaters, you may want to buy in bulk at places like Costco or Sam’s Club, where prices are typically cheaper than traditional grocery stores.

Of course, if you want the best price, wait until the candy goes on sale the day after Halloween so you don’t waste your money.

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