Cocoa Market Prices
ICE Cocoa futures - the commodity price that underpins what you pay for chocolate.
Current Price
$3,630
USD / metric tonne
24h Change
+10.7%
30-day Change
+13.3%
All-Time High
$12,565
2024-12-18
What This Means for Chocolate Prices
Cocoa beans are the primary raw ingredient in chocolate, typically accounting for 30–40% of a craft bar's production cost. When cocoa futures rise, manufacturers face higher input costs that eventually filter through to retail prices - though this usually lags by 3–6 months due to forward contracts and stock buffers.
A 50% rise in cocoa prices doesn't mean a 50% rise in chocolate prices. Other costs - sugar, milk powder, packaging, labour, shipping - remain relatively stable. A rough rule of thumb: a 50% cocoa price increase translates to roughly a 15–20% increase in the price of a finished bar.
Craft chocolatiers who buy directly from farms (“bean-to-bar” makers) may be more exposed to price swings than larger manufacturers who hedge on futures markets. This is one reason craft chocolate prices can vary significantly between producers even for similar products.
Supermarket Chocolate Prices
For context, here's what familiar high-street brands cost per 100g.
| Brand | Price /100g | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cadbury Dairy Milk | £1.39 | Tesco, Mar 2026 |
| Tony's Chocolonely | £2.22 | Tesco, Mar 2026 |
| Lindt Excellence | £3.50 | Tesco, Mar 2026 |
Most craft chocolate bars from independent makers range from £3.00–£8.00/100g. Premium single-origin bars with high cocoa percentages sit at the upper end.
Cocoa prices have lowered a lot since its peak in recent years. However, this has not been reflected on the supermarket shelves as the price of chocolate has gone up and the quality down. Many brands have been reducing the amount of cocoa and chocolate in their products, replacing it with cheaper ingredients like vegetable fats, palm oil, and artificial flavourings. This allows them to maintain profit margins even as cocoa prices fluctuate, but it means consumers are often paying more for less actual chocolate and a poor experience. It also contributes to the overall decline in quality and taste of mass-market chocolate products.
It's yet to be seen whether cheaper cocoa will improve the quality of supermarket chocolate, or if brands will continue to prioritise cost-cutting and profit margins over flavour and ethical sourcing.
Data sourced from ICE Cocoa futures (CC=F). Updated daily on weekdays. Last updated: 14 April 2026.