As December approaches, supermarket shelves across Britain are groaning under the weight of festive chocolate tubs. The arrival of Heroes, Roses, Celebrations and Quality Street has become synonymous with the countdown to Christmas, signalling the time when diets are abandoned in favour of seasonal indulgence.
However, growing concerns have emerged among consumers about rising prices and shrinking contents. Many shoppers feel they're paying more for less, but is this perception accurate or merely nostalgic misremembering?
To uncover the truth, we conducted a thorough investigation, counting every sweet in the big-four chocolate tubs over three consecutive years. The results reveal some surprising trends and one particularly unexpected find that will delight coconut enthusiasts.
The Shrinking Chocolate Count
Our research shows a clear downward trend in the number of chocolates contained within each tub. Last year's analysis found one tub actually contained more sweets than in 2023, but no such positive news emerged this year. Every tub we purchased in 2025 contained at least one fewer chocolate than its 2024 counterpart, with one variety showing a dramatic reduction of six sweets.
Celebrations demonstrated the most significant decline, dropping from 67 chocolates in 2023 to just 54 in 2025. The detailed breakdown shows notable changes in the composition:
Celebrations 2023: 6 Galaxy Caramel, 7 Galaxy, 11 Snickers, 7 Bounty, 11 Milky Way, 12 Mars, 7 Maltesers, 6 Twix - Total: 67
Celebrations 2024: 10 Snickers, 6 Twirl, 9 Mars, 7 Maltesers, 6 Galaxy Caramel, 6 Galaxy, 6 Bounty, 10 Milky Way - Total: 60
Celebrations 2025: 9 Milky Way, 8 Mars, 8 Bounty, 7 Snickers, 7 Twirl, 7 Twix, 5 Maltesers, 5 Galaxy Caramel, 5 Galaxy - Total: 54
Quality Street Holds Its Lead
Quality Street maintained its position as the tub with the highest chocolate count, though it hasn't escaped the shrinking trend entirely. The famous purple tub contained 64 sweets in 2023, increased slightly to 65 in 2024, but fell to 61 in our most recent count.
The 2025 Quality Street distribution showed: 8 Caramel Swirl, 7 Strawberry Delight, 6 Toffee Penny, 6 Toffee Finger, 6 Coconut Eclair, 5 Orange Creme, 5 Purple One, 5 Fudge, 5 Orange Chocolate Crunch, 4 Milk Chocolate Block, and 4 Green Triangle.
Roses showed a more gradual decline, moving from 53 chocolates in 2023 to 52 in 2024 and settling at 51 in 2025. The latest Roses tub contained: 7 Hazel in Caramel, 7 Strawberry Dream, 7 Cadbury Dairy Milk, 6 Hazel Whirl, 6 Tangy Orange Creme, 5 Country Fudge, 5 Golden Barrel, 4 Signature Truffle, and 4 Chewy Caramel.
Heroes and the Bounty Surprise
Cadbury's Heroes demonstrated a steady decrease from 61 sweets in 2023 to 59 in 2024 and 58 in 2025. The current Heroes selection includes: 8 Dinky Decker, 7 Dairy Milk, 7 Crunchie Bits, 7 Dairy Milk Caramel, 7 Creme Egg Twisted, 6 Eclairs, 6 Fudge, 6 Wispa, and 4 Twirl.
Among our findings emerged one particularly unexpected result that will please coconut lovers. Despite Bounty's reputation as the marmite of the chocolate world - much maligned by many but adored by others - one Celebrations tub contained an astonishing seven of the tropical treats, providing a bonanza for Bounty enthusiasts.
The overall comparison reveals Quality Street leading the pack with 61 sweets, closely followed by Heroes at 58, while Celebrations and Roses bring up the rear with 54 and 51 respectively.
The Price and Weight Equation
Our findings come amidst broader concerns about shrinkflation in the confectionery aisle. Research conducted by The Grocer in September highlighted that several tubs had reduced in size while simultaneously increasing in price.
Quality Street has decreased from 600g to 550g while seeing a pre-promotion price rise from £6 to £7 at most supermarkets. Celebrations maintained their 550g weight but increased from £6 to £7 at Tesco, while Morrison's and Sainsbury's versions reduced to 500g while still charging £7.
Cadbury's Roses held steady at 550g but saw prices increase from £6 to £7 across Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Morrison's. However, with Christmas promotions now in full swing, many retailers are offering the tubs at significantly discounted prices.
The combination of reduced contents and higher prices presents a challenging equation for consumers. While the difference in individual sweet weights could partially explain the variation in chocolate counts between brands, the overall trend points toward getting less for our money during this festive season.
For chocolate lovers making their purchasing decisions, the choice may come down to quality versus quantity. With only three sweets separating first and second place, those who prefer Cadbury products might opt for Heroes despite the slightly lower count, ensuring they get chocolates they genuinely enjoy.
