美国巧克力零售价同比上涨14.4%，情人节的浪漫正被高价冲淡

Group 1 - The core point of the article highlights that rising chocolate prices are dampening the romantic atmosphere of Valentine's Day for American consumers [1] - According to Datasembly, chocolate retail prices in the U.S. increased by 14.4% year-over-year from January to early February, significantly higher than last year's 7.8% and the projected 10.5% for 2024 [3] - The American Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend $2.6 billion on candy this Valentine's Day, with chocolate accounting for approximately 75% of all candy sales during this period [3] Group 2 - The surge in chocolate prices is attributed to a global supply shortage of cocoa beans, primarily from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, which produce about 70% of the world's cocoa [3] - Cocoa bean prices have risen from approximately $2,500 per ton in mid-2022 to over $12,600 per ton by the end of 2024, although they have currently decreased to around $4,000 per ton [3] - David Branch from Wells Fargo noted that retail prices are sticky due to manufacturers purchasing cocoa months in advance, meaning current chocolate products are made from cocoa bought at higher prices [4] Group 3 - The rising chocolate prices reflect broader inflationary pressures in the U.S., with candy and gum prices increasing by 7.5% year-over-year, three times the overall inflation rate [4] - Despite a decrease in the overall inflation rate from a 40-year high in 2022, certain product prices continue to rise rapidly, affecting consumer purchasing power [4]