Rising cocoa prices push Mars and Hersey to use less chocolate

When Mars Inc. made a slight change to its popular Galaxy chocolate bar last year, reducing the product’s standard size by 10 grams and repackaging the treat leaner without lowering the price, British shoppers were surprised, but not cocoa traders.

The 113-year-old company, best known for its packaged candies including Twix and M&M’s, seems to be taking inspiration from a well-used page in the candy makers’ handbook: When the price of cocoa rises, they find ways to sell to households in smaller doses of cocoa. chocolate or, for some candy makers, new treats without chocolate at all.