Cadbury CEO says UK chocolate bars got smaller because shoppers refused higher prices

Candy lovers are calling out Cadbury's top executive after he blamed shoppers for the company's shrinking chocolate bars. 

The remarks, made on BBC Radio 4's Big Boss Interview, have renewed scrutiny of shrinkflation — the practice of selling less product for the same price.

What happened?

Cocoa shortages, climate-related disruptions, and other production costs have driven chocolate prices higher, as the Worcester News noted. 

Dirk Van de Put, CEO of Cadbury's parent company, Mondelez International, said on Radio 4 that the company responded by trying to keep products at familiar price points.

In the interview, Van de Put described the strategy plainly: "Most consumers love their Cadbury. They want to have their daily Cadbury, but they don't want — when they were paying £1 — to suddenly pay £1.50 or £2 for the same quantity."

"So, what do we do?" he continued. "Yes, we reduce sometimes the size. We don't do that in a malicious way. But if we look at how consumers make their decisions, the price point at which they can buy is very important to them." 

Why does it matter?

For consumers, shrinkflation can function like a hidden price increase. The shelf price stays the same, but the amount inside is smaller, even as households face other rising living costs. This can be particularly infuriating if packaging obscures the volume of the product.

Some candy makers have altered their recipes in an attempt to keep prices low. However, Van de Put said that's not an option for Cadbury. 

"We don't change recipes," he said. "Of course, that discussion came up, but we feel that we don't want to bring down the quality of our products." 

What are people saying?

Social media users did not mince words. 

One commenter called into question claims that the recipe hasn't changed in over 40 years, writing: "I wouldn't mind paying if it tasted like Cadbury tasted before. It now tastes awful."

"It's not that people don't want to pay more for the product; it's that the product is disgusting. Luckily I can find real chocolate elsewhere," another asserted. 

"Reduce the size, reduce the price. We are paying more for less !!!!!!!!!!!" a third said. 

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.