Seven chocolates have been removed from Cadbury Heroes and Roses tubs, with the product weight slashed by 14 per cent while the price remains around £4.50. The new 475g tubs, spotted in Morrisons, replace last year's 550g versions, meaning consumers are paying the same for significantly less chocolate.
Consumer Champion Slams 'Relentless Reduction'
Martyn James, a consumer champion, criticised the move, stating: "There are no heroes to be found at the big chocolate brands, as this shows. The relentless reduction in quantity, and sometimes quality, of our favourite chocolate treats is really leaving people disillusioned." He warned that there will come a point when people stop buying, as was seen with Easter eggs earlier this year.
Cadbury's Response: Rising Costs Blamed
Birmingham-based chocolate maker Cadbury defended the decision, saying: "We understand the economic pressures that consumers continue to face and raising prices is a last resort for our business. However, as a food producer, we are continuing to experience significantly higher input costs across our supply chain. This means that our products continue to be much more expensive to make and while we have absorbed these costs where possible, we still face considerable challenges." The company added that reducing the weight of the tubs was a carefully considered decision to maintain taste and quality without increasing prices.
Which? Editor Calls for Transparency
Reena Sewraz, retail editor at consumer champion Which?, said the change feels "especially sneaky" when companies shrink products or downgrade ingredients without clear communication. She said: "With Christmas not far away, shoppers will be looking to get the best value from what they buy. Supermarkets and manufacturers should be more upfront about making these changes. Customers may not love the news - but at least they don't feel misled."
The shrinkflation move affects two popular Cadbury tubs, reducing the number of chocolates available by seven compared to previous versions. The change comes amid broader cost-of-living pressures, with consumers increasingly sensitive to value for money.
