Chocolate, of course, remains a sore point. Valentine’s Day still drives a seasonal spike in chocolate sales, but price relief is unlikely this year. Cocoa futures exceeded US$9,000 per tonne last year, forcing manufacturers to reprice aggressively. The result is widespread sticker shock in grocery stores and pharmacies, with chocolate prices running 20 per cent to 40 per cent higher than two years ago, depending on the product. There is, however, cautious optimism ahead: cocoa futures have fallen by roughly 69 per cent from last year’s peak, and production has rebounded in both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. If those trends hold, next Valentine’s Day may finally bring some welcome price stability — or even modest relief — for chocolate lovers.