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A worldwide shortage of cocoa by 2020 could threaten the future of chocolate bars, a confectionery expert has warned.

The nation’s best loved treats could become choccy horror slabs of palm oil and vegetable fats packed with raisins and nougat to bulk them out and make them taste better.

According to Angus Kennedy, editor of industry bible Kennedy’s Confection magazine, diminishing cocoa supplies could see chocolate transformed from the melt-in-the-mouth pick-me-up to a “sludgy” imitation.

Mr Kennedy - who has been given a sneak preview of a futuristic chocolate bar - revealed it was a far cry from Cadbury's Dairy Milk.

“I have tasted the chocolate bar of the future and it’s nothing like the chocolate we know and love,” he said.

“It will be much sweeter as sugar is the cheapest ingredient and can be used to hide the fact that there is less cocoa powder.

“Cocoa Butter and cocoa are the most expensive ingredients in the product and will be replaced with cheaper ingredients like raisins and nougat.

“High quality chocolate snaps because of the level of cocoa butter.

“But in the future it won’t as more vegetable fat will be used - the product will be more bendy and sludgy in texture.”

With cocoa crops being chopped down to make way for more profitable rubber plantations, Mr Kennedy predicted we would run out of beans in seven years.

Figures show cocoa beans have rocketed in price by 63% in the last two years while whole milk powder has soared by 20%.

According to Mr Kennedy futuristic “Chocolight” bars will shrink to around 50g but shapes will be funkier to attract shoppers.

He said: “Shapes are already starting to change - Dairy Milk have rounded the corners of their bars. It makes people think that they are getting something exciting and completely new.”