According to recent reports, chocolate sales in the UK have plunged by a whopping £78m. Cadbury, Maltesers, Galaxy and Snickers are only a few of the international chocolate brands that have been affected.
The reasons for this plunge are twofold: on the one hand, Public Health England is calling for a sugar reduction in products aimed at young people, due to worrying obesity reports. Following advice from various health awareness campaigns, many Britons have also become more health-conscious and are a lot more careful with their daily sugar intake. A cheap chocolate bar from a tempting selection conveniently placed near the check out counter no longer seems like the natural thing to get for the kids at home.
On the other hand, the financial uncertainty of Brexit has also played its part.
So, plagued by financial crises and pesky consumption pattern changes, does this mean chocolate is doomed?
It depends on who you ask. While high street chocolate brands certainly have had a bad time of it this year, artisan chocolate makers are actually thriving, with some companies seeing their profits pick up by as much as 100%.
This is wonderful news: the public seems to finally have realised less is more. Artisan chocolate is undeniably slightly more expensive, but, consumed responsibly and in small quantities, it is a much healthier and much more satisfying option than the cut-rate mass-production chocolate bars. For a long time these bars have dominated the market with their ubiquity and affordability, but the time of artisan chocolate is now upon us!
