Chocolate prices almost DOUBLE - find out how much your favourite bar costs

The price of chocolate treats has soared in recent months with some supermarkets raising their prices by almost 100%, according to a new survey from consumer group Which?

Shoppers are sure to get a fright ahead of Halloween when they see that some chocolate brands have soared in price by as much as 98% in year.

Consumer group Which?'s inflation tracker found that both supermarket own-brand and popular branded products had seen major hikes.

The worst example was Sainsbury’s No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate (100g), that soared by 98% - rising from an average of 95p in the three months to the end of August 2023 to £1.84 in the same period in 2024.

For branded chocolates, Ocado’s Prestat Chocolates & Truffles Assortment (210g) increased by 88% from £17 in the three months to the end of August 2023 to a whopping £32 a year later. Asda ’s Moo Free Dairy Free & Vegan Original Chocolate Bar (80g) skyrocketed from £1.50 to £2.40 - an increase of 60%.

Britain's favourite chocolate Cadbury also fell foul of massive hikes At Sainsbury’s, Cadbury Family Treatsize Multipack (216g) increased from £2.50 to £3.72 while at Morrison’s, Cadbury Milk Tray Chocolate Box (360g)rose from £4.01 to £5.74. Another popular brand Twix, saw its Caramel & White Chocolate Fingers Biscuit Snack Bars Multipack (9 x 20g) increased from £1.65 to £2.35 at Asda.

These were all price rises of more than 40% year-on-year. On average, chocolate prices had soared by 11% in the year to August 2024. The treat has risen in cost far more than overall supermarket food and drink prices, which were up 2.7% in the same period.

There has been a significant rise in global prices due to poor harvests and adverse weather in West African regions such as Ghana and the Ivory Coast, which supply more than 60% of the world's cocoa.

Which?'s tracker also found items in their food and drink inflation tracker also still saw significant price rises. Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said: “Our research shows that despite overall food and drink inflation continuing to fall, chocolate prices have risen dramatically in the last year."

Which? advises consumers to shop around and compare the price per gram across different pack sizes, retailers and brands in order to get the best deal. Other items had also risen above inflation, Which? found. For example, Sainsbury’s Fat Free Natural Yoghurt (500g) doubled in price from an average 45p in the three months to the end of August 2023 to 90p a year later and Aldi ’s Acti Leaf Unsweetened UHT Soya Drink (1L) increased by 70% from 50p in 2023 to 85p in 2024.

Which? said looking at a two-year period shows that consumers are paying a lot more than they were in 2022 - when inflation had already taken hold. 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.

An Asda spokesperson said: “Asda is consistently recognised as the best-value traditional supermarket in independent price comparison surveys, including the Grocer 33 basket comparison and the Which? monthly big shop trolley comparison."

Aldi, Morrisons, Ocado and Sainsbury’s declined to provide a comment.