Which? analyses contents of top four Christmas chocolate tubs
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It’s an annual debate. When the Christmas chocolates get passed around, everyone gets locked into passionate, and often unsolicited, discussions about which variety is the best.
Not only do we all have our favourites that disappear from the tub the very moment it's cracked open, there are always a few sad chocs left languishing in the tin, never to be eaten.
From Celebrations to Quality Street, Roses to Heroes, everyone has their favourite.
In a bid to settle the great Chocolate Box debate once and for all, Which? has released an analysis of all four most popular selection boxes to reveal which come out best in terms of variety and which will leave you with less sad, unwanted chocolates long after the decorations have been put away.
To carry out their experiment Which? selected the most popular chocolate boxes sold at all major supermarkets and bought three 600g – 650g tubs of each.
From there the chocolate researchers (* googles jobs at Which? *) counted each type of chocolate and then found the average amount for each chocolate in a tub.
Turns out there's a pretty even spread across the four main selection picks.
Read more: You can swap unwanted Bounty bars for Maltesers this Christmas
Fans of nutty chocs might want to opt for a box of Celebrations as they typically contain an average of 12 Snickers per tub.
There were also 12 MilkyWays, but Galaxy lovers might find themselves disappointed as there were only half as many Galaxy Caramel and Galaxy bars.
When it came to Mars bars there were 11 on average per box, eight Maltesers Teasers and eight Bountys but only seven Twix bars.
Of all the chocolate boxes Which? included in its research, Celebrations has the least variety, containing only eight different types of chocolate.
Watch: Bounty Bars and Brussels Sprouts voted least-favourite Christmas foods
For those hoping to get their chocolate fix with a tub of Cadbury Heroes, Which? found that the tub contained more Eclairs and Fudges than any other chocolate - averaging at nine each.
That was significantly more than Twirls or Wispas, which averaged just five each per tub.
Read more: M&S launch light-up biscuit and chocolate boxes for Christmas
A tub of Heroes also contained an average of eight Double Deckers and Creme Eggs and seven Crunchies, Dairy Milk and Dairy Milk Caramels.
Quality Street also had a wide range among its selection, but it was a little heavily weighted on the Pink Fudges with nine on average, compared to only four of the traditionally popular Green Triangles and four of the more niche, Orange Crunch.
However, there were also plenty of caramels, toffees and fruit cremes.
Quality Street also has the most variety in its tub overall, with 11 different types of chocolate.
Meanwhile Cadbury Roses were found by Which? researchers to be a good option for those who prefer their Christmas chocolate of the plain variety with an offering of nine Dairy Milks per tub.
Fudge and truffles on the other hand averaged only four each per tub, which is good for those not terribly partial to the chocolate choices.
Roses were a good option for caramel and fruit creme lovers though, as they came in second after Dairy Milk with an average of eight in a tub.
While the selection tubs come in a range of sizes, Which? experts recommend going for a 600g or 650g tub which tend to offer better value for money.
Commenting on the findings Lisa Barber, home products and services editor at Which? magazine, said: “A box of chocolates on the sofa and a Christmas movie is a seasonal tradition for many across the UK, but you might find yourself fighting over your favourites if there just aren’t enough of them to go around.
“Whether you’re a fudge fan, a caramel connoisseur or just nuts about chocolate, Which? has found there is a selection box for everyone, so make sure you get the one best suited to the tastes of your household this Christmas.”
The chocolate debate has been settled following news that the average Brit spends more than £325 on chocolate every year – and their favourite chocolate is Dairy Milk.
A recent survey, by MoneySavingHeroes, 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.
Read more: Chocolate Orange mayonnaise and other festive food mash-ups you didn't know you needed
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.
In other choc news, Quality Street are also bringing back their in-store pick and mix, which means you'll be able to put together your tin of dreams, coffee creams not required.
Choc fans can create their own bespoke collection of favourites from the 12 sweets in this year’s assortment, which includes an exciting new flavour.
The latest addition to the iconic chocolate box is the Crème Caramel Crisp chocolate, which is the brand’s 12th flavour, following the discontinuation of one of its toffee flavours last year.
