Related News
-
Review: A Walk On Part: The Fall of New Labour, London, West End - 27/06/12 -
Wounded heroes from Liverpool finishes world's toughest cycling race ahead of schedule - 26/06/12 -
Sugarbabe Heidi Range back in Liverpool for Race for Life - 25/06/12 -
Chilean wine maker to share his expertise with food and wine lovers of Liverpool - 03/07/12
-
St Helens Mayor watches Mayoral evoque being built at Halewood Plant - 22/06/12
The nation's favourite chocolatier Cadbury have gone from Heroes to Zeroes after cutting costs in the face of the Credit Crunch, according to industry experts.
Without warning they have axed Time Outs, Picnics, Dreams and Crunchies from tins of Heroes and replaced them with the less popular ranges Bournvilles and toffee Eclairs.
It is estimated that at least one in every two households will open a tin of the best selling sweets over Christmas only to be left disappointed with a heap of surplus dark chocs.
The price of their popular 1kg tubs have been slashed by #3 from last year, now retailing at around #4 in supermarkets such as Morrisons and ASDA.
Industry experts claim the cost-cutting measures prove the confectionary giants are desperate to beat Nestle in the battle of the supermarket aisles.
But BrandRepublic.com News Editor Daniel Farey-Jones said falling profits at Cadbury have led to them failing consumers by replacing four different sweet ranges with only two cheaper versions.
He said: "Cadbury have already issued a warning to the stockmarket this week about falling profits and consumers are cutting spending across the board.
"Cadbury have cut four chocolate types and replaced them just two, which clearly shows cost-cutting is the aim here.
"There is a chocolate gift war waging at the moment and Nestle have already signalled a bad financial year.
"Cadbury's claim that dark chocolates' popularity is on the rise but they could be in for a backlash from choco-holics and the bosses will be praying the slump doesn't last long."
Liverpool chocolate guzzler Mark Sumner, 33, said: "What do Cadbury's think they're playing at with their Heroes tins. There was no warning about the changes.
"Not everyone likes dark chocolate and that must have been the reason that they were left out before.
"They're called 'Heroes' for a reason - all the sweets are supposed to be favourites.
"But now all you get left at the end is a pile of unwanted Bournvilles and Eclairs.
"Cadbury have sneakily snatched away four best-sellers and only replaced them with two - its penny pinching without any thought for the customer."
Cadbury spokesperson Tony Bilsborough rejected claims that the sweet changes were a cost-cutting measure and said that they swap ranges every year.
He said: "We have special consumer research teams at Cadbury and they conducted a popularity poll, which led to the units in Heroes being changed.
"This year has seen an increase in the demand for dark chocolate so Bournvilles have been added.
"Dark chocolate is not a taste everyone likes, but it is still good to include them now and then for variety."
