Huge change to three big brand Christmas favourites – and choc fans won’t be happy
POPULAR chocolate Christmas tubs have shrunk in size and increased in price, the Sun can reveal, in another blow for cash-strapped shoppers.
Celebrations, Heroes and Roses hitting supermarket shelves weigh 50g less than last year.
Celebrations have been reduced in size from 650g to 600g but now cost 50p more.
Mars Wrigley, which makes the sweets, blamed rising costs for the decision to reduce the number of sweets in tubs and hike the price.
The food company sets the recommended retail price (RRP) - but retailers can sell them for less if they want.
This year the RRP is £5.50, up from £5 last year, meaning shoppers are paying more for fewer chocs.
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A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley UK said: “We have been actively trying to find ways to absorb the rising costs of raw materials and operations, as we know the increase in the cost of living has impacted both consumers and businesses across the UK.
"Unfortunately, the growing pressures mean that more needs to be done.
"Reducing the size of our products, whilst raising prices, is not a decision we have taken lightly but it is necessary for shoppers to still be able to enjoy their favourite mix of Celebrations treats without compromising on quality or taste.”
Meanwhile, Cadbury has also shrunk tubs of Heroes and Roses from 600g to 550g, citing similar reasons.
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The retail price set by the chocolate maker for both Heroes and Roses tubs is £8.09.
The price hasn't increased - but the tactic is known as shrinkflation.
This is when a food manufacturer reduces the size of an item while keeping the price the same.
It means shoppers won't pay more when costs increase for the company making the item, but they will get less product.
A spokesperson for Mondelez, which owns Cadbury, said: “We are facing the same challenges that so many other food companies have already reported when it comes to significantly increased input costs – whether it’s food commodities, energy prices or packaging materials – and rising inflation.
"This means that our products are much more expensive to make.
“We understand that consumers are faced with rising costs too, which is why we look to absorb costs wherever we can, but, in this difficult environment, we’ve had to make the decision reduce the size of our Heroes and Roses tubs to maintain the great taste and quality our fans enjoy.”
But shoppers could still end up paying more this year for fewer of the Cadbury treats.
Tesco is selling Heroes and Roses for £5, or £4 with a Clubcard this year.
Last year it was selling the bigger sized sweets for £4 or £3 if you had a Clubcard.
Celebration tubs are also part of the deal, meaning shoppers will pay more for less.
Quality Streets tubs remain the same size as last year at 600g, Nestle told The Sun.
But the RRP has jumped from £5 to £6. The chocs are also on sale at Tesco as part of the same deal costing £1 more at the supermarket than in 2022.
Tesco has been approached for comment.
Quality Street tubs shrunk last year, falling to 600g from 650g in 2021.
Choc fans were last hit by shrinking tubs of Heroes and Roses in 2019, when their weights fell from 660g to 600g.
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Celebrations shrunk in size in 2018 when the weight of the tubs fell from 680g to 650g.
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