Cadbury has launched a new smaller size of its classic Dairy Milk chocolate bar, dubbed 'Grab & Go', now available in Morrisons supermarkets across the UK. The new 56g bars come in three popular flavours: Dairy Milk, Marvellous Creations, and Chopped Fruit & Nut, priced at £1.29. However, many fans have expressed disappointment and confusion over the new product.
New size spotted in Morrisons
The 'Grab & Go' bars were first spotted by the Instagram page 'New Foods UK', which shared photos of the bars fitting neatly in the palm of a hand. The bars are significantly smaller than the standard 95g, 110g, and 180g sharing bars. Cadbury claims the new pack size is designed for convenience, featuring resealable packaging that allows consumers to enjoy 'chunks for now and chunks for later'.
Fan reactions
Many Cadbury fans took to Instagram to voice their skepticism. One commented, "There’s never any chunks left over for later," while another said, "I don’t understand the concept." A third added, "Chunks for now, none for later!" Another user noted, "They already do grab and go bars and they’re at least double the size of those ones!"
Why are Cadbury bars getting smaller?
The reduction in size is part of a broader trend driven by rising cocoa prices. Extreme weather events in Africa, including droughts and floods linked to climate change, have damaged cocoa crops. Additionally, poor harvests in India, Brazil, and Thailand have pushed up ingredient costs. According to Dirk Van de Put, CEO of Cadbury's parent company Mondelez International, the company has chosen to reduce product sizes rather than raise prices significantly. He explained in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s The Big Boss podcast: "Most consumers love their Cadbury. They want to have their daily Cadbury, but when they were paying £1, they don’t want to then pay £1.50 or £2 for the same quantity. They would like to continue to buy something at £1. So what do we do? Yes, we reduce sometimes the size. We don’t do that in a malicious way."
Impact on consumers
The new bars are positioned alongside Cadbury's Duo range in Morrisons. While Cadbury emphasizes the convenience of the resealable packaging, many consumers remain unimpressed by the shrinking portions. The move reflects a broader industry challenge as chocolate manufacturers grapple with volatile commodity markets and changing consumer expectations.
