As sure as the leaves begin turning as fall approaches, the annual warnings begin to fill newspapers and airwaves.

In Butler County, salt prices are on the rise as township road crews begin to prepare for the winter snowplow season. In 2021, a ton of road salt cost $58. The current price of a ton of road salt is $79.

Public works directors aren’t worried about getting all the salt they need — they’re just worried they’ll have to pay more for it.

Last month, the candy industry was warning that supply chain issues and the Russia-Ukraine war have made cocoa and other ingredients scarcer and more expensive while demand soars. Therefore, people will be paying more to hand out Snickers and Hershey bars this Halloween.

Switzerland-based Nestle announced a 6.5% price increase to offset lower profit margins amid “significant and unprecedented cost inflation.”

And the Pennsylvania-based Hershey Co. announced that shoppers might not be able to buy Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, Mr. Goodbars and classic Hershey chocolate bars at any price due to supply and distribution issues.

Adding to Halloween worries, weather in North Carolina is putting a serious crimp on pumpkin production in the United States, resulting in — you guessed it — shortages and higher prices where pumpkins can be found.

A spokesman for Spirit Halloween said shipping issues may mean the seasonal retailer might not be able to restock costumes and decorations once they’re sold.

Reading between the lines, the message to consumers is clear: Buy the candy, pumpkins, decorations and costumes when and where you can and don’t balk at the price. You were lucky to find them at all.

This will soon be followed by annual scare stories about cranberry or turkey shortages come Thanksgiving.

Christmas will bring the usual reports of shoppers fighting over the must-have gift of the 2022 holiday season.

Let’s break the cycle of panic buying this fall. If your favorite candy is unavailable, do without. If it costs too much, don’t buy it. If you can’t find it, find an alternative.

Let’s get off the treadmill.

– EKF