In a move that has left chocolate lovers reeling, the iconic dark chocolate Tobleronebeloved for its unique triangular shape and its delightful combination of almond and honeywill soon vanish from supermarket shelves in the UK. This decision marks a significant moment in confectionery history, as Toblerone has been a staple treat in the UK for almost 60 years.

A spokesperson from Mondelz International, the company responsible for producing Toblerone, confirmed the discontinuation of the 360g dark chocolate variety, citing changing tastes among consumers as the driving force behind this difficult decision. While we understand that this may be disappointing for some consumers, the spokesperson stated, we continue to invest in Toblerone. They did not provide any details regarding whether this discontinuation would affect other markets outside of the UK.

The announcement coincides with the Easter bank holiday weekend, a traditional peak time for chocolate sales. Following the news, a surge in demand was seen, with the dark chocolate bars quickly going out of stock on retail websites, including Waitrose, as social media users urged their followers to buy up the remaining stock.

Toblerone, a name derived from its inventor Theodor Tobler and the Italian word torroniwhich refers to a type of nougathas faced its share of controversies in recent years. Earlier this year, Mondelz announced that the famous Matterhorn mountain image would be removed from its packaging due to a portion of production relocating outside Switzerland. Additionally, in 2016, the company altered the design of the bar, increasing the gaps between the chocolate triangles, much to the dismay of long-time fans.

The discontinuation of Toblerones dark chocolate variant is not an isolated incident in the confectionery industry. Last year, Nestl decided to pull Breakaway bars from production, attributing the move to declining sales for the once-popular lunch-box staple. Furthermore, Milky Way Crispy Rolls were removed from the market in 2022, although Mars recently reintroduced them along with new variations featuring Bounty and Twix flavors.

In an evolving chocolate market, consumers have recently shown a growing preference for unique flavors, such as the so-called Dubai chocolate, which features a pistachio cream filling and toasted knafeha traditional Middle Eastern dessert. This trend has prompted brands like Lindor to launch their own versions at premium prices, while discount retailers like Lidl have also introduced budget-friendly alternatives, leading to queues and rapid sell-outs.

The backdrop to these developments includes escalating cocoa prices, which reached an all-time high in December. According to the Office for National Statistics, the price of chocolate has surged by 13.6% in the year leading up to March. This inflationary trend has also impacted Easter products, with reports indicating that prices for some Easter eggs have skyrocketed by up to 50% compared to the previous year.

Not only are consumers facing soaring prices, but they are also witnessing shrinking product sizes. An investigation by Which? revealed that a white chocolate Twix Easter egg from Tesco increased in price from 5 to 6 while simultaneously decreasing in size from 316g to 258g. This change reflects a staggering price increase of 47% per 100g. Similarly, a mixed pack of Cadbury Creme Eggs sold at Morrisons has seen its price increase from 2.62 last year to 4 this year.