The daughter of the creator of the Freddo chocolate bar has said her father would be 'rolling in his grave' at the prices charged today for the treat that cost 10p in its 1990s heyday. Leonie Wadin, 74, told Sky News that her father, Harry Melbourne, who created the chocolate at age 14, would be disgusted by the current size and cost of the bar.
Wadin said she once waited impatiently for her father to bring home boxes of Freddos but has now vowed never to buy another one. 'Dad was disgusted with how small it is now and how much they charge for it,' she said. 'Since Dad died, I haven't bought a Freddo.'
Melbourne created the chocolate in 1930 after convincing his boss that a frog was better than a mouse, as children are not scared of frogs. Named after his 'best mate' Fred, the bar launched in Australia for a penny and later gained popularity in the UK after a relaunch in the 1990s.
A Cadbury's Freddo now commonly sells for about 30p or 35p, though some have reported prices up to £1. Sky News analysis suggested that, by some measures, the bar has become less expensive relative to wages than in the 1990s.
Wadin expressed hope that her father's legacy would continue: 'Carry on through every heritage, that's what I want. The Freddo has to be passed on, Freddo is never going to die.'
Mondelēz International, owner of Cadbury, said it does not set retail prices but noted that manufacturing and supply chain costs have increased significantly over the past 50 years, leading to occasional changes in list prices or multipack sizes.
