Nestlé's Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband lose 'chocolate' status amid reformulations
Nestlé's Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars can no longer be described as chocolate in the UK after reformulations reduced their cocoa and milk solids content below the threshold required for milk chocolate. The UK's standard for milk chocolate demands at least 20% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids, levels that these bars no longer meet.
The reformulations were driven by increased input costs, with Nestlé stating the changes were carefully developed and sensory tested. There are no plans to change other chocolate products at present. This change to Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband was first reported by The Grocer.
Similarly, McVitie's Penguin and Club bars switched to being described as 'chocolate flavour' in October after their cocoa content was reduced, a move made by their parent company Pladis, using cheaper alternatives.
The rise in global cocoa and butter prices has increased manufacturing costs significantly, with prices surging over the past three years due to droughts and poor harvests. This practice of changing ingredients to cheaper components amid inflation is described as 'skimpflation' and has also affected other foods, including ready meals, with supermarkets in 2024 cutting costlier ingredients.
