Cocoa's Soaring Prices: Up to 90% Increase in Chocolate Bars
Quelle: VIDEOELEPHANT (Glomex)
The cocoa price surged between 2022 and 2025, reaching a peak of 11,675 euros per ton in December last year and slightly dropping to 9,903 euros in early June. According to Altroconsumo's study, this increase directly impacted the costs of chocolate bars in Italy, with price hikes of up to 90% in some cases. The analysis, conducted on 93 dark chocolate bars in over a thousand Italian retail stores, revealed that only four products saw a price decrease last year, and a very modest one at that. The other 89 products experienced price increases ranging from 2% to 90%, indicating a widespread and sustained price hike. Altroconsumo notes that the retail price increases were still lower than those of raw materials, suggesting that part of the impact was absorbed by the production chain. However, it is not ruled out that chocolate prices may continue to rise in the coming months, especially if conditions in the producing countries do not improve. The main causes of the cocoa crisis include climate change and drought, which have severely affected Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, responsible for about 50% of global production. These environmental factors are compounded by financial speculation, which Altroconsumo states contributes to price instability.