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Nestlé has altered the recipes of its Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars, resulting in these products no longer qualifying as chocolate under UK regulations. For a product to be marketed as milk chocolate in the UK, it must contain at least 20% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids. However, both bars now fall short of these thresholds after Nestlé increased the use of more affordable vegetable fats in their formulations.
The company explained that the changes were necessary due to rising ingredient costs but emphasized that the new recipes were “carefully developed and sensory tested.” Nestlé also confirmed that there are no intentions to adjust the recipes of their other chocolate products at this time. This recipe modification reflects a broader trend in the food industry where manufacturers have responded to price hikes in raw materials such as cocoa and butter by reducing these costly components or shrinking portion sizes.
Instead of describing the bars as being coated in milk chocolate, Nestlé now markets them as “encased in a smooth milk chocolate flavour coating.” A Nestlé spokesperson noted the challenges the company faces, stating, “We have seen significant increases in the cost of cocoa over the past years, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products. We continue to be more efficient and absorb increasing costs where possible.” This change was initially reported by The Grocer.
Nestlé is not alone in reformulating its products. In October, McVitie’s also relabeled its Penguin and Club bars as having a “chocolate flavour” after reducing their cocoa content and replacing it with cheaper alternatives. The rising costs of cocoa, influenced by poor harvests and droughts over the last three years, have pushed the price of chocolate higher. The practice of altering ingredient amounts to manage rising production costs has become known as “skimpflation” and is increasingly common as inflation pressures continue to affect food manufacturers. In fact, by 2024, supermarkets were found to have reduced the quantity of expensive ingredients like beef and chicken in ready meals as part of this trend
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