Business20 October, 20252 min read
McVitie’s Cuts Cocoa in Club and Penguin Bars, Stripping Them of Chocolate Status Amid Soaring Prices
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McVitie’s reduced cocoa content in Club and Penguin bars due to soaring cocoa prices. Both bars now contain more palm oil and shea oil than cocoa solids in their coating.
9 outlets told this the same way.
Changes in Chocolate Bar Ingredients
McVitie’s has reduced the cocoa content in the coatings of its Club and Penguin bars. As a result, these bars no longer meet the UK’s legal definition of chocolate and must be sold as chocolate flavour or chocolate flavoured products. The reformulation replaces some cocoa solids with increased amounts of palm and shea oils.
“Two popular British chocolates, McVitie’s Club and Penguin bars, are no longer legally classified as 'chocolate'... their coatings now contain more palm oil and shea oil than cocoa solids.”
Pladis, the owner, states that consumer and sensory testing indicates the taste remains similar despite the change. This adjustment is linked to a historic rise in cocoa prices caused by poor harvests and climate and weather disruptions in West Africa. Mainstream reports highlight record high cocoa prices and widespread cost pressures across the industry.
Changes in UK Chocolate Labeling
Regulatory context helps explain the relabeling of certain chocolate products in the UK. In the UK, milk chocolate must contain about 20% cocoa solids. Pladis has dropped below that threshold in some product lines, triggering a move to "chocolate flavour/flavoured" coatings.
Alongside the legal shift, the Club bar is retiring its famous "a lot of chocolate" tagline in favor of biscuit-first messaging. Reports consistently note that palm and shea oils have replaced some cocoa solids to manage costs without raising shelf prices. Several outlets stress that, according to Pladis, taste remains comparable after consumer and sensory testing.
Changes in Chocolate Products
The ripple effects go beyond these two bars. Multiple outlets say similar legal downgrades have hit white variants: KitKat White and McVitie’s White Chocolate Digestives no longer meet the minimum cocoa butter content to be called white chocolate.
“Similar adjustments have been made by Nestlé for products like KitKat White and McVitie's White Chocolate Digestives... minimum cocoa butter content... white chocolate labeling.”
Daily Mail adds that other McVitie’s products such as Mini BN and BN Mini Rolls have also been adjusted. At the same time, consumers are seeing industry-wide shrinkflation and price rises—from shrunken Quality Street tubs to more expensive Cadbury Milk Tray—against a backdrop of cocoa prices cited at around £8.20 per kg or surging from about $3,500 to $11,500 per tonne.
Media and Consumer Reactions
Company messaging focuses on reassurance. Pladis says consumer testing indicates the new coatings taste similar to the originals. This claim is echoed across mainstream and lifestyle outlets.
By contrast, tabloid coverage emphasizes the consumer downside and the optics of losing legal "chocolate" status. Tabloids also highlight concerns about smaller packs or higher prices. The split reflects corporate claims of continuity versus media framing about diminished chocolate content and value.
Causes and Impact of Price Surge
Most outlets attribute the reformulations to supply shocks and poor harvests in West Africa. Climate and extreme weather are frequently cited as contributing factors. Mainstream reports quantify the historic spike, peaking at around £8.20 per kilogram or jumping from roughly $3,500 to $11,500 per tonne.
“The price surge in cocoa, driven by poor harvests caused by extreme weather in major growing regions like Ghana and the Ivory Coast...”
These reports also provide sector-wide context, including squeezed margins and substitutions with cheaper fats. Tabloids focus on extreme weather in Ghana and Ivory Coast and the downstream effects on seasonal treats. All sources agree that the cost surge pushed manufacturers to change recipes.