Headlines announcing the coming increase in chocolate prices have been doing the rounds for a while now, and unless you’ve been paying close attention at the supermarket, you might not have actually felt the real-life impacts. Until now, that is. 

An Instagram post from Cadbury, the world’s second-largest chocolate manufacturer, announced this morning that the price of Freddo Frogs and Caramello Koalas will double, effective immediately.

A 100 percent price increase from RRP $1 to $2 marks the first price hike by the Cadbury company in a decade.

Related story: From Polly Waffle to Freddo Frog, we count down Australia’s oldest lollies

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cadbury Australia (@cadburyaust)

Why is chocolate getting more expensive?

As with most things that come from the ground, the production of cocoa is under severe pressure from plant disease, climate change, farmer and worker poverty and unsustainable agricultural practices. 

Increased scrutiny of the ethics of conventional cocoa farming is also a contributing factor to the overall price rise of chocolate globally, with growing evidence of child labour and slavery on cocoa plantations in Brazil and West Africa.

Related story: Holy moly! Cult favourite Tony’s Chocolonely bars hit supermarket shelves