As an example, a military retiree who receives $2,500 in retired pay will see a COLA increase of about $70 a month. For a veteran receiving $1,500 per month in benefits, the increase would be about $42 in 2026.

Sales of non-chocolate candy are growing faster than those of chocolate. With cocoa in shortage, manufacturers are changing pack sizes, adding fillers and dipping candy in "white creme."

The price of chocolate has gone up by 15% in the last year, according to the Office for National Statistics. The company said it imports chocolate made from cocoa originating in parts of Africa where "crops are rotting" as a result of weather in the "last couple of years".

NPR's series Cost of Living: The Price We Pay is examining what's driving price increases and how people are coping after years of stubborn inflation. How will inflation affect the treats handed out at Halloween this year?