Cadbury to launch reduced sugar chocolate bar

Cadbury is releasing a reduced sugar chocolate bar in response to the global obesity epidemic, which the confectionery giant promises will taste “exactly the same” as the original.

The sugar content of the new chocolate will be 30 per cent less per 100 grams, at 39 grams down from 56 grams.

A team of 20 scientists and “choc experts” have reportedly been working on the reformulated bar for two years and have worked out how to replace some of the sugar with a type of fibre that has the same structure, rather than adding artificial sweeteners, according to The Sun.

A reduced sugar version of the Cadbury Dairy Milk bar will hit the shelves in the UK next year, however Australia might have to wait a bit longer.

“While we don’t currently have any plans to bring reduced sugar Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate to Australia, we’re always looking at products from across our global portfolio that we think Australians will love and will meet the taste preferences of local Cadbury fans,” Associate director of Everyday Chocolate Paul Chatfield said in a statement.

“Australians are passionate about their Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, so any new products we offer have to meet the taste expectations of consumers that have grown up enjoying the signature dairy milk taste.”

A second blow comes to those counting kilojoules. While the sugar content will be drastically reduced from Cadbury’s traditional dairy milk bars, the new formula will have a similar amount of calories to the traditional product.

The company is also planning reduced sugar versions of some of its other confectionery brands such as Oreo and Jelly Babies products.

A spokesperson from Cadbury’s parent company Mondelez International assured customers the taste of the reduced sugar bar was “incredibly similar” to the original, just less sweet, The Independent reported.

The decision to reduce the sugar content was in response to increased pressure for confectionary producers to come up with healthier recipes.