Which festive chocolates have gone up by more than 50%? | UK News

The price of some festive chocolate boxes has skyrocketed by more than 50% compared with last year, says Which?

Despite overall supermarket food and drink inflation slowing to 8.3% in November, the consumer watchdog says price rises on chocolate were almost twice as much at 15.3%.

Here’s a look at the most dramatic price rises among the UK’s sweet treats.

• At Asda, Green & Black’s Organic Classic Miniature Chocolate Bar Collection 180g went from £3.59 on average in the three months to the end of November 2022, to £6 on average in the same period this year – an increase of 67.2%.

• Nestle’s Black Magic 348g and Dairy Box Medium Chocolate Box 326g were both £3.35 on average at Asda in 2022 but rose to an average of £5.25 this year – an increase of 56.6%.

• At Tesco, Cadbury Mini Snowballs Chocolate Bag 80g, Cadbury Mini Snowballs Chocolate Bar 110g and Terry’s Chocolate Orange Minis Bag 125g increased by 50%, from £1 on average to £1.50.

• At Sainsbury’s, Which? found that Quality Street Matchmakers Zingy Orange Chocolate Box 120g went from an average of £1.26 to £1.89 in the space of a year, an increase of 49.9%.

Some non-festive chocolates saw even higher price hikes, Which? said, with Asda’s Snack Size Chocolate Caramel Chews (6x38g) increasing from an average 65p in 2022 to £1.35 on average in 2023, a hike of 107.7%.

Bolands Elite Chocolate Kimberley Teacakes 132g at Morrisons saw the average price hiked from £1.30 to £2.59, an increase of 99.2%.

The discounters’ take on the Mars bar – Aldi’s Dairyfine Titan and Lidl’s Mister Choc Choco & Caramel Bars (six packs) – both saw similar increases from 62p and 65p respectively on average to £1.09 and £1.08 on average – a rise of 75.8% and 66.8%.

Why are prices soaring?

Manufacturers have largely placed the blame on the increasing cost of key ingredients, particularly cocoa and sugar, with both commodities hit by supply issues and poor production in the last 12 months.

Despite the…