Chocolate: Cadbury bars and milk and vegan chocolate prices rise 11% ahead of Halloween and Christmas season

• Chocolate prices rose by 11% from August 2023 to August 2024, outpacing overall supermarket inflation
• The cost of Sainsbury’s No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate nearly doubled, while other products like Cadbury and Twix saw price hikes of over 40%
• Poor harvests in West Africa due to unusual weather have driven cocoa prices to record highs

With Halloween just over a month away, and the festive season not long beyond that, many people are gearing up for a chocolate-heavy final quarter of 2024.

But in what is bad news for those with a sweet tooth, it’s been revealed that chocolate prices have soared by 11% in recent months, with costs rising significantly higher than food and drink prices.

Figures from Which? - which cover the period from August 2023 to August 2024 - show that overall supermarket costs increased only by 2.7% in the same period.

The consumer group found that the cost of Sainsbury’s No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate (100g) has almost doubled, rising from an average of 95p last year to £1.84 in 2024

Asda’s Moo Free Dairy Free & Vegan Original Chocolate Bar (80g) rose from £1.50 to £2.40 – an increase of 60% - while the Cadbury Family Treatsize Multipack (216g) increased from £2.50 to £3.72 at Sainsbury’s.

The Cadbury Milk Tray Chocolate Box (360g) rose from £4.01 to £5.74 at Morrisons, and the Twix Caramel & White Chocolate Fingers Biscuit Snack Bars Multipack (9 x 20g) increased from £1.65 to £2.35 at Asda – all price rises of more than 40% in a year.

Which? Retail editor Ele Clark said: “Our research shows that despite overall food and drink inflation continuing to fall, chocolate prices have risen dramatically in the last year.

“To ensure you get the best value for money on your Halloween chocolate, shop around and compare the price per gram across different pack sizes, retailers and brands.”

Cocoa prices have repeatedly hit new records over the last year following poor harvests caused by unusual weather in West Africa.

Overall, Which? found food and drink prices were 16.6% higher in the three months to the end of August 2024 compared with the same period two years earlier, showing the challenge many shoppers still face to afford everyday essentials.

As you prepare for Halloween and navigate rising chocolate prices, we want to hear from you! Share your tips for finding the best deals or your favorite chocolate brands in the comments section.