A "Pumpkin Spice Tax" hikes the price of seasonal delights

KANSAS CITY - It's definitely more trick than treat for those in KC who enjoy the seasonal flavors of fall.

Some companies are charging up to 92% more for pumpkin flavored versions of their products, although the so-called "Pumpkin Spice Tax" is moderating overall.

This year’s study on the cost of pumpkin-flavored products from LendingTree , finds an average price increase of 7.4%. The pumpkin spice tax in 2022 was 14.1% and in 2020 it was 8.8%.

More than 100 grocery store and coffee retailer products were reviewed. The biggest gap in pricing found in the study was the Target Favorite Day monster trail mix, that nearly doubled in price from $0.29 per ounce to $0.55 per ounce.

And while there are many goodies and drinks that are more expensive than their regular versions, there are other products that actually cost less with pumpkin flavoring. Trader Joe's pumpkin spice cookie mix is 24.1% less than another regular cookie mix.

The state most excited about pumpkin spice, based on Google search activity, is West Virginia.
Kansas is 15th most excited.
Missouri is 19th.
The state that cares the absolute least… Mississippi.