Many of the UK’s favourite festive chocolate brands are becoming more expensive while offering considerably less product. Christmas shoppers are paying 61% more for their favourite festive chocolates than they did in 2016, despite getting 17% less product on average.
New research by Liquidation Centre has compared the weights and prices of ten popular festive chocolates over the past decade, to reveal which household favourites have been hit hardest by shrinkflation.
Key findings:
The average weight of the 10 chocolates analysed has fallen by 17% since 2016.
The average price has increased by 61% over the same period.
Cadbury’s Heroes have seen the biggest reduction in weight, falling by 37%.
Terry’s Chocolate Orange has seen the highest increase in price, rising by 125%.
Heroes, Roses and Celebrations have all seen their sharing formats shrink by more than 30%.
How much have popular Christmas chocolates shrunk since 2016?
Rank | Chocolate | 2016 weight (g) | 2026 weight (g) | Reduction in weight (%) |
1 | Heroes | 750 | 475 | 37% |
2 | Roses | 729 | 475 | 35% |
3 | Celebrations | 750 | 500 | 33% |
4 | Quality Street | 750 | 550 | 27% |
5 | Terry’s Chocolate Orange | 175 | 145 | 17% |
6 | Cadbury Milk Tray | 360 | 312 | 13% |
7 | Toblerone | 400 | 360 | 10% |
8 | Ferrero Rocher (24 piece) | 300 | 300 | 0% |
=8 | After Eight | 300 | 300 | 0% |
=8 | Lindt Lindor | 200 | 200 | 0% |
Heroes lovers have lost the most product, seeing a 37% reduction in weight
Cadbury’s Heroes boxes have seen the largest reduction in weight of all ten products analysed, with the tub shrinking by 37%, from 750g in 2016 to 475g in 2026.
Cadbury’s Roses follows closely behind with the tubs falling from 729g in 2016 to 475g in 2026, marking a 35% reduction in weight. The tub’s weight decrease is sure to frustrate consumers looking for family share boxes around Christmas.
Celebrations takes third place, with its sharing tub decreasing from 750g to 500g, meaning shoppers now get a third less chocolate than they did a decade ago.
Other familiar favourites have also become smaller. Quality Street has fallen from 750g to 550g, a 26.67% reduction, while Terry’s Chocolate Orange has decreased from 175g to 145g.
However, not every product has been affected. Ferrero Rocher (24-piece), After Eight and Lindt Lindor have all retained their original weights over the period analysed.
How much have popular Christmas chocolates increased in price since 2016?
Rank | Chocolate | 2016 price (£) | 2026 price (£) | Increase in price (%) |
1 | Terry’s Chocolate Orange | £1 | £2.25 | 125% |
2 | Roses | £4 | £7 | 75% |
=2 | Heroes | £4 | £7 | 75% |
4 | Cadbury Milk Tray | £3.25 | £5.25 | 62% |
5 | Quality Street | £4.50 | £7.25 | 61% |
6 | Toblerone | £4.50 | £7 | 56% |
7 | Lindt Lindor | £4.90 | £7.50 | 53% |
8 | Ferrero Rocher (24 piece) | £4.49 | £6.50 | 45% |
9 | Celebrations | £5 | £7 | 40% |
10 | After Eight | £3.25 | £4 | 23% |
Terry’s Chocolate Orange lovers are left paying the biggest price increase of 125%
While sharing tubs have experienced some of the biggest reductions in weight, Terry’s Chocolate Orange has seen the steepest price increase.
The festive favourite has risen from an average price of £1 in 2016 to £2.25 in 2026, an increase of 125%. Although it remains one of the cheapest products in the study, shoppers are now paying more than twice as much for the exact same chocolate.
Cadbury’s Heroes and Roses have both increased in price by 75%, rising from an average price of £4 in 2016 to £7 this year.
Cadbury Milk Tray and Quality Street have also seen substantial price increases, with prices rising by 62% and 61% respectively.
Even the products with the smallest price increases have become more expensive. After Eight recorded the lowest increase in the study, at 23.08%, rising from £3.25 to £4.
Insolvency expert explains the financial pressures behind festive shrinkflation
Kimberley Reid, Insolvency Practitioner at Liquidation Centre, comments on what shrinkflation during the festive season tells us about the financial pressures facing UK businesses and chocolate manufacturers:
“Most of us have noticed that our favourite chocolate bars and sharing tubs seem to be getting smaller, yet we’re often paying significantly more for them. Shrinkflation is a visible sign of the financial pressures facing UK chocolate manufacturers, as businesses try to balance rising production costs with consumers’ sensitivity to higher prices.”
“Manufacturers are dealing with increasing costs across their supply chains, from energy and transport through to packaging and ingredients. The sharp rise in cocoa prices has only added to those pressures, forcing businesses to make difficult decisions about how much of the additional cost they can absorb and how much they need to pass on to customers.”
“Festive chocolates have traditionally been viewed as an affordable seasonal treat, but consumers are becoming more aware when they are paying more for smaller products. As household budgets remain stretched, there is a growing risk that shoppers will switch to cheaper brands, own-label alternatives, or reduce discretionary spending altogether.”
“For manufacturers, this creates a challenging balancing act. They need to protect already pressured profit margins while remaining competitive in an increasingly price-conscious market. If costs continue to rise and consumer demand weakens, some businesses may find it more difficult to maintain profitability and cash flow. Shrinkflation highlights the reality that even well-established, much-loved brands are not immune from the wider economic pressures affecting UK businesses.”
