Two beloved Nestlé treats, Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband, can no longer legally be called chocolate after the food company altered their recipes – and shoppers are not happy.
The confectionery giant has tweaked both products to contain less cocoa mass and more vegetable fats, which pushes them below the threshold required for milk chocolate labelling in the UK.
Under UK law, confectionery must contain at least 20 per cent cocoa solids and 20 per cent milk solids to be labelled as milk chocolate, which Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband no longer clear.
As a result, instead of being described as covered in milk chocolate, the bars are now marketed as having a "chocolate flavour coating".
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It's all down to the soaring price of cocoa, which has made manufacturing significantly more expensive for food companies across the board.
Despite Nestlé's attempt to assure consumers that taste and quality remain its "top priority", fans of the popular treats have expressed concern.
"No problem, leave them on the store shelves," said one disappointed GB News reader, while another commented: "What next, looks like chocolate tastes like candlewax? Which is where a lot of confectionery companies are heading."
Two popular Nestlé treats will no longer be referred to as 'chocolate'
|NESTLÉ
"Simply don't buy it if it doesn't taste as chocolate should," stated a third.
"Bet the price still increases or stays the same," one consumer speculated, while another predicted: "Prices are going up, and quality and quantity are going down. People will stop buying things soon in greater numbers."
Spotting a pattern, one reader said: "Terrible...it's the same with Clubs and Penguins – they are now covered in 'chocolate flavoured coating', whatever that may be! The prices are also going up – not even chocolate anymore. So that's them off my shopping list, always now read the label."
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Indeed, The Grocer reported that McVitie's Penguin and Club biscuits have both had their cocoa mass reduced to the point where they can no longer carry the chocolate label, instead being referred to as a "chocolate flavour coating".
On X, disappointed consumers shared a similar sentiment, with posts like "Won't be buying them again then" and "No Toffee Crisp for me now".
Imploring confectionery giants, one posted: "Toffee Crisp, Blue Riband, Penguin, and Club Nooooo! Do not mess with chocolate."
Regarding the recent tweaks to the popular sweet treats, a Nestlé spokesperson told GB News: "We've recently updated the recipes for our Toffee Crisp range and Blue Riband. These changes have been carefully developed and sensory tested with taste and quality being our top priority at all times.
"As always, we keep our ingredients up to date and clearly labelled on pack, so confectionery fans can continue to enjoy our products with confidence.
"Like every manufacturer, we've seen significant increases in the cost of cocoa over the past years, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products. We continue to be more efficient and absorb increasing costs where possible.
"To continue to offer shoppers great value and enjoyment, it is sometimes necessary to adjust the recipes of some of our products. Retail pricing is at the discretion of individual retailers."
The confectionery giant added that this update is specific to Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband, with no plans to make the same change across Nestlé's other chocolate products.
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