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The Grand Chocolate Survey 2022

11 April 2022

Topical UK Stories

For those of you with a long memory (or a sweet tooth) you may remember that ten years ago we launched our 2012 Grand Chocolate Survey to compare the size, weight and value for money of some of our favourite chocolate bars. We repeated the exercise in 2016 and, as well as having to eat all of the chocolate, were not surprised to find that most of the bars had shrunk since our initial endeavours.

Judging by the number of people who read the previous articles, it looks like many of you must share our love of chocolate!

So, with Easter once again approaching and purely in the interest of research of course, we are proud to present our Grand Chocolate Survey 2022. We have bought the same chocolate bars as in the previous surveys, weighed and photographed them and compared them in terms of size and weight to the results of our previous surveys.

Following the introduction of the ‘sugar tax’ in 2018, you would have expected the price of our chosen chocolate bars to go up. However, we have been pleasantly surprised to find that prices have not increased since our last survey in 2016 with your standard bar costing 60p. The inevitable result of this though, is that some of the bars have shrunk (again) and we now get less chocolate for our money. So in order of the biggest shrinkers since 2016, here they are:

Skittles – down from 55g in 2016 to 45g in 2022. Down by -10g

Curly Wurly – down from 26g in 2016 to 21.5g in 2022. Down by -4.5g

Finger Of Fudge – down from 25.5g in 2016 to 22g in 2022. Down by -3.5g

KitKat (Four Fingers) – down from 45g in 2016 to 41.5g in 2022. Down by -3.5g

Wispa – down from 39g in 2016 to 36g in 2022 Down by -3g

In contrast, you could ask if any of the bars have increased in size since 2016. Sadly, the answer is ‘No’.

Let’s have a look at how today’s bars compare to ten years ago.

The biggest reductions in size are:

Boost – In 2012, the manufacturer’s weight guidance was 60.5g. Today it is 48.5g Down by -12g.

Skittles – was 55g in 2012. Today it is 45g Down by -10g.

Snickers – was 58g in 2012. Today it is 48g Down by -10g.

Yorkie – was 55g in 2012. Today it is 46g Down by -9g

KitKat Chunky – was 48g in 2012. Today it is 40g Down by -8g.

Twix – was 58g in 2012. Today it is 50g Down by -8g.

Mars – was 58g in 2012. Today it is 51g Down by -7g.

There are, of course, a number of reasons for the reducing size of our confectionery. The most understandable of these is the drive to reduce obesity and keep us all healthy. Also, whether you blame Covid-19, Brexit, world affairs or anything else, the costs of production and transport only seem to be going in one direction.

Please see the table for the proof of reductions in the size of your favourite chocolate bars.

Bar	2022 Manufactures weight (Grams)	2022 Go Walkabout recorded weight (Grams)	Difference between 2022 Manufacturers v Go Walkabout Recorded	2012 Man weight (Grams)	Difference between 2022-2012	2016 Man weight (Grams)	Difference between 2022-2016
Boost	48.5	49	0.5	60.5	-12	48.5	0
Fudge	22	23	1	Not Stated	0	25.5	-3.5
Milkybar	25	25	0	Not Stated	0	25	0
Caramac	30	32	2	Not Stated	0	Not stated	0
KitKat	41.5	43	1.5	Not Stated	0	45	-3.5
Snickers	48	48	0	Not stated	0	45	-3.5
Maltesers	37	38	1	37	0	37	0
Rolos	52	52	0	52	0	52	0
Yorkie	46	47	1	55	-9	46	0
Crunchie	40	41	1	40	0	40	0
KitKat Chunky	40	40	0	48	-8	40	0
Toffee Crisp	38	39	1	Not Stated	0	38	0
Munchies	52	55	3	52	0	52	0
Star Bar	49	49	0	Not Stated	0	49	0
Bounty	57	56	-1	57	0	57	0
Picnic	48.4	50	1.6	48.4	0	48.4	0
Caramel	45	45	0	45	0	45	0
Curlywurly	21.5	22	0.5	26	-4.5	26	-4.5
Twix	50	52	2	58	-8	50	0
Twirl	43	44	1	Not Stated	0	43	0
Galaxy Smooth	42	43	1	46	-4	42	0
Wispa	36	39	3	Not Stated	0	43	0
Lion	50	48	-2	52	-2	50	0
Mars	51	49	-2	58	-7	51	0
Flake	32	33	1	Not Stated	0	32	0
Dairy Milk	45	45	0	45	0	45	0
Double Decker	54.5	53	-1.5	60	-5.5	54.5	0
M&M Peanut	45	45	0	45	0	45	0
M&M Chocolate	45	45	0	45	0	45	0
Skittles	45	45	0	55	-10	55	-10
Minstrals	42	44	2	Not Stated	0	42	0

Credit where it’s due, there are a few bars whose volume has not changed since we started our surveys ten years ago. Full marks to:

Maltesers, Rolos, Crunchie, Bounty, Munchies, Caramel, Dairy Milk and M&Ms.

I hope you’ll agree that this was time well spent on valuable consumer research! It certainly compounds the statement that chocolate bars are not what they used to be

Boost 2022