Halloween is going to cost American families a lot more than it did last year, a scary reality that families must grapple with ahead of what is typically a sweet time of year. 

Last week, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics released the newest inflation numbers, announcing an 8.2% inflation rate year-over-year for September. 

Halloween candy is projected to cost 13.1% more than last year, putting an extra financial strain on Americans everywhere. According to NPR, this year marks “the largest yearly jump in candy prices the CPI has ever recorded. (For comparison, it took nine years — from 1997 to 2006 — for candy prices to rise 13%.)”

With sugar and sugar substitute prices up 17.1% overall, the increased cost of packaged candy is no surprise. 

Despite everyday Americans feeling the strain at supermarkets, the President seems entirely unphased by persistent inflation rates. Enjoying his own sweet treat at a Baskin Robbins in Oregon last week, he assured Americans that there was nothing to worry about.

“I’m not concerned about the strength of the dollar, I’m concerned about the rest of the world. Does that make sense?”

He added, “Our economy is strong as hell.”

Many Americans disagree with the President’s sentiments. 

PBS reports that “46 percent of people now call their personal financial situation poor, up from 37 percent in March, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.” With the price of basic household items like eggs still up 30.5% and home gas bills up a startingly 33.1% since last year, it’s no wonder people feel uneasy about their finances. 

Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) produces a monthly Inflation Tracker on popular household items that women purchase.