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As you unwrap a tub of Celebrations or pull a Terry’s Chocolate Orange from your Christmas stocking this year, you might notice something a little off. It’s not just your imagination if these festive favourites seem smaller or taste less rich than before. Alongside these subtle changes, shoppers are also facing rising prices for their go-to chocolates.
Many chocolate manufacturers acknowledge that they have been under pressure to reduce costs, often by swapping out pricier ingredients like cocoa for more affordable alternatives, a practice sometimes referred to as “skimpflation.” Some products have been altered so substantially that bars such as Toffee Crisp and Penguin no longer classify as chocolate. Even popular Cadbury’s Dairy Milk has sparked debate among enthusiasts who swear the recipe is not quite the same. Becca Amy Stock, a TikTok content creator known as Becca Eats Everything, dedicated six hours and spent £100 rigorously testing all the milk chocolates available across major UK supermarkets. She found Dairy Milk chocolate to be “more oily” and less creamy, suggesting it no longer delivers the familiar “glass and a half” of milk experience following Cadbury’s acquisition by Mondelez in 2010. “You do notice the difference,” Becca points out. “Cadbury’s does not taste how it used to taste.”
By law, milk chocolate sold in the UK must contain at least 20% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids to be labeled as such. Without meeting these criteria, manufacturers need to call their products “chocolate flavour” rather than chocolate. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk still complies with these regulations. Mondelez maintains that there have been no recent changes to their recipe, with a company spokesperson affirming, “Our Cadbury Dairy Milk products continue to be made with the same delicious recipes that consumers know and love,” and confirming the cocoa content has remained stable for many years.
Despite these reassurances, consumers are paying more for less. Shrinkflation—the reduction in product size without a corresponding drop in price—is widespread across the food industry, and the chocolate aisle is no exception. According to market research from Kantar, chocolate prices in UK supermarkets have jumped by over 18% on average compared to last year. An analysis of pricing data from December 2021 to December 2025 across major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Morrisons shows Cadbury’s Dairy Milk bar now weighs 10% less but costs 48% more, while the size of Mars Celebrations tubs has fallen by 23% with prices rising 44%. Terry’s Chocolate Orange has shrunk by 8% amid a 51% price increase.
Facing rising costs for key ingredients such as cocoa and dairy—exacerbated by extreme weather patterns linked to climate change affecting crop yields in Africa, India, Brazil, and Thailand—manufacturers say they have had to make difficult decisions. Mondelez’s spokesperson described price hikes as a “last resort” but stressed that “products continue to be much more expensive to make.” Mars Wrigley echoed this sentiment, noting that higher cocoa prices and manufacturing expenses necessitated “adjusting some… product sizes… without compromising on quality or taste.” Milk costs have also surged due to higher feed, fuel, and fertilizer expenses, as well as increased wages and production costs faced by farmers. Some producers have turned to substituting palm oil or shea oil to maintain chocolate’s fat content.
Consumers have grown increasingly aware of these cost-cutting strategies, but it has left many feeling frustrated. Reena Sewraz, retail editor at consumer group Which?, highlights the sense of betrayal when shoppers find themselves “especially sneaky” when products shrink or ingredients are downgraded without clear communication. She urges manufacturers and supermarkets to be more transparent so customers are not left feeling misled, emphasizing that while the news may not be welcome, honesty can foster trust.
For chocolate lovers like Becca Amy Stock, focusing on quality rather than quantity is the key remedy amid these challenging times. She recommends indulging in smaller, premium chocolate bars such as Tony’s Chocolonely, which, though more expensive, offer greater satisfaction. While she plans to enjoy a festive selection box on Christmas Day, she generally advises against “food snobbery,” suggesting that supermarket own-brand chocolates often provide surprisingly good value and quality
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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