Toblerone backlash as cutbacks target chocolate peaks

Chocolate fans have reacted badly on social media to the news that the gaps between the characteristic triangles in the Toblerone bar have been spaced further apart to reduce the weight and keep the price affordable.

The US makers, Mondelez International, said the new design was a way to cut the size of the 400g (14oz) bar to 360g and the smaller 170g bar to 150g.

But Ben Torgersen's tweet reflected the views of many, writing: "Trump, Bowie dying and Brexit. Thought this year could not get any worse."

And Toblerone fan @knowleybean said: "The spaced out #toblerone won't inflict so much pain on the roof of your mouth when attempting to release an 'Alp', thus the joy diminishes."

Samuel, who uses the Twitter handle @50degreesam, was less bothered that there were fewer triangles in the new bar, stating that so long as it retained some, it still had a place in teaching geometry.

He tweeted: "I don't care about #Toblerone so long as it stays a triangular prism shape as there's no other way to teach kids solid geometry."

He also tweeted a simple solution to the burgeoning chocolate crisis, stating simply: "How to get more Toblerone: 1 Buy two Toblerones."

Even cycling star Mark Cavendish had something to say about the new configuration to the hotel mini-bar staple.

The Olympic silver medal winning cyclist tweeted: "What have they done with #Toblerone?! From a life in hotels, the stand-out comfort for staying in a decent place has been compromised."

Others predicted a worse fate for the chocolate bar once Article 50 is triggered to start the of the UK's departure from the European Union.

Mike Holden tweeted an image of significantly reduced bar with almost no chocolately peaks in sight.

On Instagram, BenchWarmersmade a slightly left-field comparison to the new pared-down Toblerone saying: "The new Toblerone is like Manchester United's performance this season."

And comedycentraluk said: "2016 did a lot of bad things, but this is perhaps the worst."

As ever, there were some people quick to spot any potential gap in the market, and Will Henryson was among the first to see the money-making possibilities of the old standard and much-loved traditional Toblerone he still had in his possession.

And Brummie Auslander tweeted that he would be running a "Toblerone aid convoy" as part of his annual Christmas trip to Switzerland next month.

Some saw the lighter side of the redesign of the Toblerone, including Will Hagerty, who tweeted that a new fate awaited the much-loved Curly Wurly.

He tweeted: "Unconfirmed reports that the Curly Wurly is to be unravelled and renamed the Straighty Waighty."

Once the news started to take hold, chocolate-lovers began to lament the demise of other favourite bars over the years.

Scott Ross looked back at the decision to no longer make the Wispa, with a tweet that said: "This is worse than the great Wispa tragedy of 03."

Comparisons were quickly drawn with the Chocolate Orange and the fury sparked last month, when it was announced it would be shrinking in size from 175g to 157g.

The chocolate segment treat is also owned by Mondelez International, a subsidiary of Kraft, which again blamed the rising cost of ingredients for the size reduction.

The company also owns the Creme Eggs, which were the centre of their own scandal when the recipe was changed in 2015, costing a fall in sales of about £6m.

At the time many fans stopped buying the new version in a protest, including Sarah Harding, who tweeted in January: "Refusing to eat a Cadbury Creme Egg until they change it back to dairy milk."

The controversial change was later reversed to try to win back its fans.

Other bars have been subject to downsizing over the years including Dairy Milk and the Yorkie, but perhaps the most distressing chocolate cut-back over the years has been the size of the Quality Street tin.

The Christmas family-favourite has gradually reduced from a satisfying 820g to 780g and this year has lost one of its stalwarts - the Toffee Deluxe - which sparked its own furore on social media.

Objectors included @mrsnickih, saying: "This, Nestle, is so wrong. It's ruined Christmas' forever... <sobs> Bring back the #toffeedeluxe."

By Annie Flury, UGC and Social News Team