GETTING THE CHOP: Cadbury's big bars are being downsized by one row, but are staying at the same price.

It's a dark day for chocolate-lovers - Cadbury is downsizing its big blocks to save big bucks.

Cadbury posted on its Facebook page about the move, saying "we have a change we'd like to tell you about".

As confectionary companies around the world were "feeling the squeeze", Cadbury said it could no longer absorb increasing costs into the price of its chocolate blocks.

So the decision had to be made - up the price, or chop the chocolate?

The company said it wanted to keep its chocolate "affordable for families across New Zealand," and reduce its family-sized 220g blocks by one row.

Not everyone was receptive to the idea, with some commenters on Cadbury's Facebook page pointing out the change effectively raised the price, as consumers would pay the same for less chocolate.

Others commented that they were "proud" of Cadbury for being upfront about its decision and providing consumers with reasons for the reduction in block size.

A date for the change was not available, but was set to take place "in a few months' time".

Amanda Banfield, managing director of Australasia for Mondelez International, the parent company that owns Cadbury, said she expected a backlash.

"We have to kind of be real about that," she said.

"Clearly any chocolate lover is going to be a bit disappointed".

She pointed to rising packaging costs and a lift in the price of raw materials.

The main ingredients are cocoa, sugar and milk.



"We've just had unprecedented cost headwinds over the past 18 months," she said.

Cadbury said it would continue to delight its customers with new flavours and products, and its chocolate would "continue to taste as it always has."

Cadbury reduced the size of its family blocks of chocolate in 2009 from 250 grams to 200 grams, before partially lifting it in 2013 back to 220 grams because of disquiet from customers.

- Stuff & SMH

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