Overview
- Benchmark cocoa has dropped to its lowest level in nearly two years, with prices falling sharply since mid‑August, according to the Financial Times and Rabobank.
- German shoppers are paying more for seasonal sweets than last year, with price checks showing higher tags for Lebkuchen, Dominosteine, Zimtsterne and Baumkuchen across major retailers.
- The consumer group VZBV says manufacturers are tied to earlier high‑priced contracts and are still working through costly stock, so any relief will lag and may instead show up as shrinkflation or promotions.
- Other inputs keep costs elevated, as Turkish hazelnuts trade around €9,000 per ton after frost damage and pistachio prices remain high.
- Small chocolatiers in North Rhine‑Westphalia, including Dortmund’s Pott au Chocolat, report acute strain and warn further increases are likely, while international assessments find farmers saw little benefit from prior record cocoa prices.