A leading scientist has issued a stark health warning over some of Britain's most beloved chocolate snacks, revealing that recent recipe changes have stripped them of their nutritional value. Professor Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London and founder of the Zoe health app, says the steady reduction of cocoa in products like Cadbury's Dairy Milk, McVitie's Club and Penguin biscuits poses a genuine threat to consumer health.
The Disappearing Chocolate
In a recent social media post, Professor Spector highlighted a troubling trend where manufacturers are quietly lowering the cocoa content in classic products. The issue has become so pronounced that iconic items like Club and Penguin biscuits can no longer legally be marketed as chocolate biscuits due to their cocoa levels falling below the required threshold.
"I've got some news for you. Two of the most iconic chocolate biscuits in the UK are no longer chocolate," Spector stated. He explained that as the cocoa percentage drops below 20%, these products must now be labelled as 'chocolate flavoured biscuits'. This trend is not confined to biscuits; Spector also pointed to changes in Dairy Milk chocolate and even digestive biscuits.
Health Impact of Recipe Reformulation
The core of the health warning lies in what replaces the lost cocoa. Professor Spector detailed that as real chocolate is reduced, it is substituted with cheaper, less healthy fats like palm oil and shea oil. These alternatives lack the beneficial compounds found in genuine cocoa.
"Each time the percentage of real chocolate goes down, it's filled in with other unhealthy fats which are not only cheaper, but they are worse for us," he said. He emphasised that real cocoa is a natural fermented bean containing fibre, flavanols, polyphenols, and nutrients like magnesium, all of which are beneficial for gut health. The replacement ingredients offer none of these benefits and can be harmful.
Spector advised consumers to seek out chocolate with a high cocoa content, ideally over 70%, to ensure they are getting the health advantages associated with real cacao.
Manufacturers Cite Soaring Costs
The recipe changes are driven by significant economic pressures. Industry representatives point to a sharp increase in the cost of raw ingredients. Cocoa prices hit a 45-year high last year, with other costs like energy, dairy, and transport also remaining elevated.
A spokesperson for Mondelez International, which owns Cadbury, stated that changes to product sizes or recipes are a "last resort." They explained the company faces "considerably higher input costs" and must make difficult decisions to keep products on shelves. Similarly, a Nestlé representative cited "significant increases in the cost of cocoa" as the reason behind adjustments, including to the White KitKat, which now contains less than 20% cocoa butter and can no longer be sold as a white chocolate product.
The Food and Drink Federation supported this, noting manufacturers are paying nearly 40% more for ingredients and energy than in January 2020, forcing some to alter recipes to maintain affordable prices.
Consumer group Which? has also raised the alarm. Retail editor Reena Sewraz commented that it feels "especially sneaky" for manufacturers to downgrade key ingredients while households are under immense financial pressure. Their investigations confirmed the reduced cocoa content in several popular items, underscoring Professor Spector's public health alert.
