Those picking up their Halloween candy may have noticed that they’re paying a lot more…for a lot less.

Sylvain Charlebois of Dalhousie’s Food Analytics Lab says chocolate is expensive because most of the bars on the market today were produced when cocoa prices were very high.

“So that really has pushed prices higher. In fact in some cases chocolate for Halloween is up 20 to 30 per cent. The packaging is also more expensive and of course to truck everything all over the place, and to get that food on shelves did cost more this year.

“You’re certainly seeing higher prices for chocolate, but everything else? Not that much.”