A Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Assortment party bag that once held 29 ounces was found at 23.9 ounces in a comparison highlighted this year, with both bags carrying a $19.99 price tag. That’s 5.1 ounces less candy for the same sticker price. And with Halloween approaching, Hershey’s is hardly the only familiar candy brand with smaller big bags.
Other comparisons show slimmer Reese’s and M&M’s packages, even as the cost of stocking a trick-or-treat bowl climbs. It’s an especially timely example of how familiar snacks can shrink without an obvious price change.
The Hershey’s bag: 5.1 ounces gone
A retail worker reported the 29-ounce and 23.9-ounce bags to consumer advocate Edgar Dworsky’s Mouse Print website. Its June 2026 comparison showed the two Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Assortment party bags priced at $19.99.
The reduction works out to about 17.6% less chocolate. It’s a comparison of specific packages, not a claim that every Hershey’s product or party-size assortment has changed by the same amount.
An October 16 New York Post roundup of Halloween candy shrinkflation revisited that finding alongside several other popular brands.
Reese’s and M&M’s show the same pattern
The Reese’s Miniatures Party Pack was about 40 ounces six years ago, compared with 35.6 ounces in the newer package highlighted in the report. That’s a 4.4-ounce, or 11%, reduction. Hershey, which makes Reese’s, lists the 35.6-ounce version on its product website.
Hershey’s Miniatures Assortment was also compared at 40 ounces in 2019–2020 versus 35.9 ounces more recently, a loss of 4.1 ounces.
M&M’s Milk Chocolate Party Size, made by Mars, was reported at 38 ounces versus 42 ounces in 2019. Mars confirmed the 38-ounce size to the Post. In the published Walmart pickup comparison, the price rose from $8.98 to $14.84 over that span, although prices vary by store and date.
Rolo Party Pack offers another example: 40 ounces in the older package and 35.6 ounces in the newer one. That’s 4.4 fewer ounces. These are changes in total bag weight; they don’t necessarily mean every individual piece has become smaller.
A bigger Halloween candy bill
A separate FinanceBuzz study updated September 30 examined the cost of assorted 100-piece Halloween candy bags at major retailers. Its average rose from $9.91 in 2021 to $16.96 in 2026, a 71% increase.
Those figures track retail cost per 100 pieces, while the brand comparisons above follow the weights of particular packages. Together, they help explain why the checkout total alone can be a poor guide to value.
Candy manufacturers have cited higher ingredient and shipping costs, particularly the steep run-up in cocoa prices. Hershey announced double-digit U.S. confectionery price increases in 2025, while Mars has pointed to cocoa and other cost pressures when discussing product changes.
What to check before buying
The quickest check is the net weight printed on the package. Compare the shelf label’s price per ounce, not just descriptions such as “party size” or “family size.” If you’re buying treats to hand out, compare the number of individually wrapped pieces, too.
A higher-priced bag can still be a better deal if it holds substantially more candy. Promotions may also change which retailer offers the best value. With October 31 approaching, the useful question isn’t simply what a bag costs—it’s how much candy you’re actually bringing home.
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