The average Brit spends more than £325 on chocolate every year – and their favourite chocolate is Dairy Milk, according to a survey.
It also found nearly three in five Brits (59%) consider chocolate an essential part of their weekly shop, while almost half (46%) said they eat chocolate at least once a day.
When asked how much they spend on chocolate every week, Brits said about £5.50. However, this amount is nearly three times higher during the Christmas period – about £16 a week.
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This means the average Brit buys about £328 worth of chocolate each year, with £64 – 20% – of this spent over the holidays, the survey by MoneySavingHeroes found..
It also found almost half (46%) of UK adults still have advent calendars. Over a fifth (21%) buy a traditional chocolate one each year, while 64% pick a fancier, more expensive version.
When it comes to Brits favourite chocolate, Dairy Milk leads the way, with 37% of the vote. Galaxy comes in a distant second at 19%, followed by Milky Bar at 13%, Mars at 11% and Maltesters at 7%.
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Close to two-thirds (65%) of vegan Brits said they will eat non-vegan chocolate bars at Christmas time, although less than a third (31%) said they did this openly, with the rest sneaking non-vegan treats when nobody is looking.
This is despite Mars recently launching a vegan version of its Galaxy chocolate bars in the UK, made from hazelnut paste and rice syrup rather than dairy.
The bar comes in three flavours – orange, caramel and sea salt, and caramelised hazelnut.
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George Charles, a spokesperson for MoneySavingHeroes, said: “It’s no surprise the majority of Brits spend more money on chocolate over Christmas, because it’s a time we can splash out and treat ourselves.
“Chocolate is one of the foods that is universally loved so it isn’t too surprising that Brits spend so much on it.”
