The sticker shock in the grocery store snack aisle is real. Since 2020, a perfect storm of supply chain issues, poor harvests, and persistent inflation has hit the snack food industry especially hard. Consumers are now paying dramatically more for the same simple treats they enjoyed just a few years ago. While prices have risen across the board, these ten popular snack categories have seen some of the most shocking increases, with many items nearly doubling in price.
1. Chocolate Bars
The price of chocolate has skyrocketed due to a severe global cocoa shortage. Poor harvests in West Africa have caused the price of cocoa to surge to historic highs. This has had a direct and dramatic impact on the price of a simple chocolate bar. A candy bar that might have cost a little over a dollar in 2020 is now frequently priced at two dollars or more.
2. Potato Chips
Potato chips have been hit by price increases from every direction. The cost of potatoes, cooking oil, and transportation has all seen massive spikes since 2020. Major brands like Frito-Lay have also implemented “shrinkflation.” They have reduced the number of chips in a bag while also raising the price, a double blow that has made a bag of chips a much more expensive indulgence.
3. Beef Jerky
The price of beef has been climbing steadily for years. This is due to drought and the high cost of feed for cattle. As the primary ingredient in beef jerky, this has caused the price of the high-protein snack to soar. A bag of beef jerky is now a premium, high-cost item, with prices that have easily doubled in the last five years.
4. Corn Tortilla Chips
The price of corn, the key ingredient in tortilla chips, has been very volatile. This has led to significant price hikes for popular brands like Doritos and Tostitos. In addition to the ingredient costs, rising prices for packaging and fuel have also contributed. This has made a simple bag of tortilla chips a much more costly snack for your party.
5. Packaged Cookies
Classic packaged cookies, like Oreos and Chips Ahoy!, are much more expensive than they were in 2020. These products have been affected by the rising cost of their three main ingredients: flour, sugar, and cocoa. As a result of these commodity price hikes, the cost of a standard package of cookies has increased dramatically.
6. Premium Ice Cream Pints
A pint of premium ice cream from a brand like Ben & Jerry’s or Häagen-Dazs is now a significant splurge. The price of fresh cream, milk, and sugar has all risen sharply. On top of that, the cost of premium mix-in ingredients like vanilla, chocolate, and nuts has also soared. This has pushed the price of a single pint to levels that were unthinkable just a few years ago.
7. Gummy Candies
Even simple gummy candies have not been immune to inflation. The prices of sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin have all seen major increases. These are the core ingredients for most gummy snacks. This has forced manufacturers to raise the price on everything from gummy bears to sour worms.
8. Microwave Popcorn
The price of a box of microwave popcorn has popped. The rising cost of corn, along with the oils and flavorings used in the product, has been a major factor. The cost of the specialized paper and packaging for the microwave bags has also increased. This has turned a once famously cheap snack into a noticeably more expensive one.
9. Nuts and Almonds
The price of many nuts, especially almonds, has been driven up by years of drought in California, the primary growing region. This limited supply, combined with a strong global demand, has led to a major price increase for consumers. A can of roasted almonds or a bag of mixed nuts is now a much pricier snack.
10. Crackers
Even the most basic snack, the humble cracker, costs much more now. The price of wheat flour, a key ingredient, has been high for years. The rising cost of fuel for transportation and the increased cost of cardboard for the boxes have also added to the final price. This has made a simple box of crackers a more expensive pantry staple.
The New Price of Snacking
The dramatic price increases for these common snacks are a clear sign of the new economic reality. The era of cheap, abundant food has been replaced by a period of volatility and high costs. For consumers, it means that the simple act of grabbing a bag of chips or a candy bar is now a much more calculated financial decision. The price of a simple indulgence has become a lot less simple.
What is the one snack whose price increase has shocked you the most? How has the rising cost of snacks changed your shopping habits? Let us know!
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