Cadbury, the leading chocolate confectionery brand in the United Kingdom, is set to roll out a new packaging initiative aimed at reducing reliance on virgin plastic. Mondelēz International, which owns Cadbury, will introduce 300,000 paper tubs of its popular Cadbury Heroes range into Tesco stores nationwide from October 2025 as part of a trial in partnership with packaging company DS Smit.
The new tubs are made from paper and designed to replace traditional plastic packaging, aligning with growing consumer demand for environmentally conscious products. Each tub will include a QR code inside the lid, encouraging customers to provide feedback on the packaging and the assortment. Responses will be collected to guide future packaging development and assortment decisions, helping Mondelēz evaluate both consumer acceptance and practical performance of the paper tubs.
Cadbury continues to be highly active in product innovation. Key launches this year include limited-edition Twirl varieties such as White Dipped, new Dairy Milk Iced Latte bars, Cadbury Biscoff chocolate, and the Tesco-exclusive Marvellous Creations Large Chocolate Easter Egg. Additionally, Cadbury has explored interactive and engaging packaging approaches, such as color-changing wrappers and the upcoming Dairy Milk Lotus Biscoff Advent Calendar.
Market And Brand Analysis
Cadbury holds a clear leadership position in the UK chocolate confectionery market, with over a fifth of the sector, making it the dominant brand.
Lindt follows as a smaller but significant competitor, with around a tenth of the market. Kinder and a host of other brands—including Galaxy, Nestlé, Aero, KitKat, Maltesers, and DairyFine—each occupy smaller slices, contributing to a highly fragmented competitive landscape.
Other brands, including Asda, M&M’s, Ferrero, Terry’s, Reese’s, Quality Street, Ritter Sport, Hotel Chocolat, Milkybar, and smaller artisan or private-label offerings, make up the remainder of the market, often focusing on niche or differentiated propositions such as premium chocolate, seasonal products, or health-conscious options.
Cadbury has maintained a consistent focus on both product innovation and sustainability. Recent initiatives highlight this dual strategy:
Sustainability: Trials of paper-based tubs for Cadbury Heroes, transitioning sharing bars to 80% certified recycled plastic, and in Australia, a fully automated warehouse powered by renewable energy.
Product Innovation: Limited-edition variations of established lines, such as Twirl White Dipped, Bournville Salted Caramel, and Dairy Milk Iced Latte, alongside new concepts like Milkinis and interactive packaging such as color-changing wrappers.
Seasonal and Exclusive Offerings: Tesco-exclusive Marvellous Creations Easter Egg and the upcoming Dairy Milk Lotus Biscoff Advent Calendar demonstrate Cadbury’s strategic use of retailer partnerships and seasonal timing to boost engagement and sales.