Mondelēz announces the “difficult decision” to withdraw the dark chocolate Toblerone in the UK as taste preferences shift.

 After nearly six decades of popularity in the UK, the dark chocolate version of Toblerone is being discontinued. Mondelēz, the confectionery giant behind the iconic triangular bar, has confirmed that the 360g dark chocolate Toblerone will no longer be available in the UK. The company cited “changing tastes” as the primary reason for the product’s removal from shelves.

Toblerone, a well-known chocolate bar with a distinctive triangular shape and a blend of almond, honey, and chocolate, has long been a staple in UK supermarkets and duty-free shops. However, the company explained that the decision to discontinue the dark chocolate variant was a difficult one, though they did not clarify whether it would be pulled from markets outside the UK.

The announcement came at the start of the Easter bank holiday weekend, a peak period for chocolate sales in the UK. By Friday afternoon, the dark chocolate Toblerone was already out of stock on the Waitrose website, with social media users urging people to buy up any remaining stock. The bar’s departure from the market has left many chocolate lovers disappointed, but Mondelēz reassured customers that it remains committed to investing in the Toblerone brand, despite the discontinuation of the dark chocolate version.

Toblerone, named after its inventor Theodor Tobler and the Italian word for nougat, torrone, has seen several changes over the years. In 2023, the company made headlines when it removed the iconic Matterhorn mountain peak from its packaging after relocating some production outside Switzerland. In 2016, the brand also adjusted the shape of the chocolate by increasing the gaps between its triangular chunks.

While the dark chocolate Toblerone fades from UK shelves, it follows a trend of beloved chocolate bars being discontinued. In 2023, Nestlé announced it was ending the production of Breakaway bars due to declining sales. Similarly, Milky Way Crispy Rolls were taken off shelves in 2022, though Mars later reintroduced the product with new variations, such as Twix and Bounty-flavored versions.

The shift in consumer tastes has also seen the rise of new and exotic chocolate varieties, such as “Dubai chocolate.” This chocolate, which features a pistachio cream filling and a base of toasted knafeh (a Middle Eastern dessert), has garnered attention in the UK market. Lindor has even launched its own £10 Dubai chocolate bar, while Lidl released a more affordable alternative for £4.99, with lines forming outside stores as customers rushed to grab the new product.

The dark chocolate Toblerone’s discontinuation is also happening against a backdrop of rising cocoa prices, which hit record highs in December. The cost of chocolate has risen by 13.6% year-on-year, according to the Office for National Statistics, leading to complaints from consumers about soaring prices, particularly for Easter eggs. Some Easter eggs have increased in price by as much as 50%, with products also shrinking in size, further inflating price-per-weight costs.

A recent investigation by Which? revealed that a white chocolate Twix Easter egg had risen from £5 to £6 from one year to the next, while its weight had dropped from 316g to 258g. The price per 100g jumped by 47%, reflecting broader trends in both chocolate prices and portion sizes.

As Toblerone’s dark chocolate variant bids farewell to the UK market, its departure highlights not only the shifting preferences of British consumers but also the broader forces at play in the global chocolate industry, from rising costs to new trends in flavour and texture.