Chocolate driving up the cost of romance this Valentine’s Day

Ottoline Spearman

If you plan to show your affection by giving Valentines Day chocolates this year, the price of a box of chocolates has risen by 10.1 per cent as of December, which means that a box that cost you €10 is now €11.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office released on Thursday show that the price of chocolate, when compared with 2020, has risen by 44 per cent.

Flowers have also become more expensive, increasing by 2.5 per cent from December 2024 to 2025. The cost of wine has increased only slightly, rising by 0.2 per cent.

Dining costs rose by 2.8 per cent, while staying in for a takeaway means forking out an extra 3.6 per cent for your food.

For those marking the occasion with a trip to the cinema or theatre, both outings would cost almost 4 per cent more this time around.