IT seems even Santa isn’t safe from shrinkflation, with tubs of our go-to festive treats getting more expensive while contents reduce.
Big boxes of chocs such as family favourites Celebrations, Heroes and Roses are a seasonal stalwart on supermarket shelves.
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But weights have gone down from 650g to 600g as costs have gone up from this time last year.
Laura Trott headed to Sainsbury’s for eight popular tins and totted up the contents to work out which offers the best value for money this Christmas. She also marked them out of five.
Ferrero Collection: 135g, £5.50
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- Total chocs: 12.
- Cost per choc: 46p
A SMALLER box than most of the others weighing just 135g, so it is not really surprising that this came out as the most expensive per chocolate.
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For the size, the contents are actually not too meagre. You’ll just have to savour each bite and eat them slowly.
Noir: 3, Classic: 6, Raffaello: 3
Score: 2/5
Cadbury Heroes: 550g (553g wrapped), £5.50
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- Total chocs: 61.
- Cost per choc: 0.09p
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WITH 61 treats inside, the box seems full but you might struggle if you have a favourite.
There are plenty of Eclairs and Crunchies but you will be fighting over the three Creme Eggs.
Caramel: 7, Double Decker: 8, Creme Egg Twisted: 3, Crunchie: 8, Eclairs: 10, Wispa: 6, Twirl: 7, Fudge: 4, Dairy Milk: 8
Score: 3/5
Cadbury Dairy Milk Chunks Tin: 720g (739g wrapped), £12
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- Total chocs: 70.
- Cost per choc: 17p
PACKED with 70 chunks of Cadbury favourites, this is a generous-sized tin.
But with each morsel costing a whopping 17p per bite, it is hardly a budget buy.
Filled mainly with Dairy Milk, those who always reach for the Wholenut or White Chocs will have to be fast.
Whites: 8, Dairy Milk: 20, Caramilk: 17, Caramel: 18, Wholenut: 7
Score: 2/5
Swizzels Sweet Shop Favourites: 650g, £5.50
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- Total sweets: 66
- Cost per sweet: 0.08p
OVERFLOWING with treats, this gives you the most inside to share around, and a container to boot.
It is chock-full of nostalgic confectionary for all ages, including plenty of Love Hearts, Refresher sweets and Drumstick lollies, although packs of fizzers are more scarce. Top value.
Love Hearts: 9, White Double Lollies: 8, Parma Violets: 7, Drumsticks: 10, Drumstick Squashies: 6, Pink Refreshers: 7, Purple fruit lollies; 4, Strawberry fruit lollies: 3, Drumstick Squashies Sour apple flavour: 1, Fizzers: 5, Blue refreshers: 6
Score: 5/5
Celebrations Choc Tub: 600g (613g wrapped), £5.50
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- Total chocs: 65.
- Cost per choc: 0.08p
A CLASSIC go-to for the family every Christmas, the big red tub just nosed it to come out on top as best value for money on choccie option.
There were more mini Galaxys than any other mini-bar, while Snickers and Milky Ways were also plentiful.
Twix fans will be disappointed though – only a measly five of their favourites are included.
Malteasers: 7, Snickers: 11, Mars: 11, Twix: 5, Bounty: 7, Milky Way: 11, Galaxy: 13
Score: 5/5
Quality Street Tub: 600g, £5.50
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- Total chocs: 63.
- Cost per choc: 0.09p
A DECENT-sized tub offering a bit more for your money and a higher number of treats.
Toffee Finger fans are treated to plenty, but Green Triangle lovers only have four inside.
Three additional, unknown chocolates were included which were not listed on the tub.
Caramel swirl: 6, Orange creme: 4, Green triangle: 4, The purple one: 5, Fudge (red rectangle): 8, Strawberry: 6, Orange crunch: 5, Toffee finger: 7, Milk choc block: 4, Toffee penny: 3, Coconut: 8 – plus 3 extra miscellaneous chocs; (Bronze wrapper x 1, Red wrapper x 1, Blue Foil x 1 )
Score: 4/5
Lindt Lindor Assorted Tin: 450g, £15
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- Total chocs: 36.
- Cost per choc: 42p
IT is probably not surprising that premium choc maker Lindt isn’t the best value Christmas buy, but while the tin is very pretty, each morsel inside will cost you an eye-watering 42p.
There are 36 individually wrapped truffles to share around, so the tin looks inviting, but the price per choc is steep. Dark choccie fans might be disappointed too, with only four of these to scoff.
Red Milk Choc Truffles: 12, Gold White Choc Truffles: 5, Bronze Hazelnut: 5, Turquoise Salted Caramel; 5, Navy 50% Dark: 4, Pale Blue Milk and White Truffle: 5
Score: 3/5
Roses: 550g (562 wrapped), £5.50
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- Total chocs: 53.
- Cost per choc: 10p
A BOX of Cadbury’s Roses is a classic seasonal offering to share with the family, and everyone has their traditional favourite inside.
But whether you prefer a Hazel Whirl or a Tangy Orange you probably won’t love the price of unwrapping them – at a costly 10p per chocolate.
A small tub with low contents make this very poor value.
Golden Barr: 6, Dairy Milk: 7, Tangy Orange: 6, Signature Truffle: 4, Hazel Whirl: 6, Hazel Caramel: 6, Strawberry Dream: 7, Country Fudge: 6, Caramel: 5
Score: 1/5
