Cadbury admits 'last resort' change to chocolate bar

Chocolate fans have been left fuming after noticing a change in their favourite bars. Cadbury's was questioned on X, formerly Twitter, by one customer who noticed how small their Wispa bar was.

Bri wrote: " @CadburyUK can you explain how wispa bars are more expensive and half the size? One or the other surely."

Cadbury confirmed the bars were smaller but insisted it was "a last resort". And they blamed rising costs which made them rethink their popular product.

They replied to the poster: "Hi, making changes to the weight of our products is always a last resort, however, costs across our supply chain have risen steeply. Core ingredients we heavily rely on, like cocoa and sugar are a lot more expensive, while the cost of energy, packaging, and transport also remain high.

"This means that our products continue to be much more expensive to make and so, to keep our treats affordable, we have needed to make small changes to slightly reduce the weight of some of our products."

However the answer did not satisfy the poster who responded: "But you've increased price and reduced size significantly. I think a lot of companies are using it as an excuse to boost profits."

And it was not just the Wispa which has come under fire. Another poster warned if some bars got any smaller they "would be the size of tic tacs."

Michael posted a picture of a Freddo bar and a Dairy Milk bar saying: "We need a word Cadbury. Shrinking worsening. Any smaller the ones in roses tins will size of tic tacs."

Several commented on Easter eggs and Creme Eggs. Dale posted a video showing how he could easily eat a Creme Egg in one go writing: "Cadbury’s creme eggs have got a lot smaller and I’m just not happy about this."

And SetientBunnySuit added: "They keep making Cadbury eggs smaller and more expensive until soon we'll be paying all for nothing."

Previously Cadbury said it had reduced the size of many of its products as part of its "anti-obesity strategy". Earlier this year they were reported as saying: "From time to time we make changes to our product ranges while continuing to deliver the great quality and taste our fans enjoy. There are a number of reasons for this.

“These include adjusting portion sizes in line with our proactive strategy to help tackle obesity – and in July 2020, we committed to introducing a 200kcal cap on our Cadbury multipacks by the end of 2021, which we have now implemented.

“On other occasions, like many food businesses, we might need to slightly reduce the size or weight of a specific product, based on increased commodity and operational costs, to ensure that they remain affordable while maintaining the quality and taste which customers expect.”