Cadbury is a king among British confectionery, famed for countless products including Dairy Milk, Freddo, and Chocolate Buttons.
It’s even so beloved that it was named the UK’s number one favourite chocolate brand in 2024 by The Grocer, selling 59.2 million kg across the nations each year.
But now, Cadbury fans have been left devastated – ‘bereft’ even – after one of its most popular products has disappeared from supermarket shelves. And it’s not a chocolate bar, but the classic hot chocolate powder.
Shoppers first noticed that supplies had mysteriously been removed in November, with the brand later confirming that it had been temporarily taken off sale due to quality issues.
‘Ensuring our consumers enjoy consistently high-quality Cadbury products is of paramount importance to us,’ a spokesperson for Mondelēz International told The Sun.
‘We have identified a food quality issue in Cadbury Drinking Chocolate products meaning in some instances the texture and colour of the product may not look as expected.’
As such, there was speculation that it would be returning to shelves this week, but fans are still waiting to get their fix.
The product, which has now been likened to ‘gold dust,’ is still missing from online supermarkets as well as Amazon – and many consumers have noted that they’re still struggling to get hold of it in stores.
Notably, while the tub of ‘instant’ hot chocolate is currently available through the likes of Sainsbury’s online, the famed original is still missing.
‘Can you tell me WHY I have more of a chance of finding a UNICORN than Cadbury’s Hot Chocolate in the supermarket? I’ve now purchased ‘Belgian Chocolate Jar’…it’s far more expensive, but I hope it’s delicious, so I can say GOODBYE,’ @RealNatalieRowe wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
‘There is a nationwide shortage of Guinness and Cadburys have pulled their hot chocolate off the shelves too. What kinda madness is this?’ @Inselaffe76 added, while @MaccoolKyeyune added that there was ‘no sign’ of the chocolatey goodness in any of their local supermarkets.
For some, the situation has been simply unmanageable, as @ogbrack described themselves as ‘bereft,’ having been ‘on the lookout every single day.’
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And for @Oluwakemi_G, the drink marks one of ‘the best things’ they’ve ‘ever tasted.’
Earlier this month, King Charles ‘stripped’ Cadbury of its Royal Warrant for the first time in 170 years, after it was initially awarded by the late Queen Elizabeth II’s great-great-grandmother, Victoria in 1854.
A Royal Warrant of Appointment is a document that appoints a company or individual the ability to advertise that they supply the Royal Household. As part of this, they are able to use the Royal Arms and ‘By Appointment to…’ label in connection with their business.
It also has a financial benefit, with research by Brand Finance suggesting in 2017 that Royal Warrant holders may earn 5% of their revenue as a result of it.
King Charles and Queen Camilla issued around 400 Royal Warrants on December 19, which last for up to five years.
The majority of these (386) were renewed warrants that were granted by the late Queen, including Kellogg’s cereal and Moet champagne. Interestingly, one of Cadbury’s main competitors, Nestlé has retained its warrant, as well as Prestat and Benedicks, which is known for its dark mint chocolate.
However, around 100 companies are thought to have lost their warrants, including Cadbury and Unilever which owns brands like Marmite and Hellmann’s.
Metro has contacted Cadbury for comment.
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