In today’s newsletter: Cocoa shortages, climate shocks and global conflicts have collided to make chocolate pricier than ever before
Good morning. Today is Good Friday – if you are following the western church calendar, at least – which still leaves time to panic-buy Easter eggs. While you are doing that, you will almost certainly leave with the impression that you are paying more for less. Why?
Shrinkflation is the answer. The chocolate economy has been hit by a series of shocks over the past few years, meaning the pound in your pocket now buys a lot less cocoa than it once did.
For today’s newsletter, I spoke to Zoe Wood, the Guardian’s consumer affairs correspondent, about why chocolate has become such a visible symbol of inflation, and whether there is any hope that prices might fall again. First, here are the headlines.
Middle East | Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticised Donald Trump’s inconsistent pronouncements on the Iran war and Nato, saying if “you want to be serious” it was better not to come out with something different every day.
