chocolate city tour uk

BOOK OUR MAY HALF-TERM EXPERIENCES HERE! INCLUDING 20% OFF GUIDED TOURS

UNWRAP THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE

Uncover the story of chocolate….

From its exotic origins in the rainforests of Central America to the cobbled streets of Yorkshire

Rowntree’s, Terry’s and Craven’s…

Find out how three entrepreneurial families made York the UK’s home of chocolate

DISCOVER THE HISTORY OF YORK’S ICONIC CHOCOLATE BRANDS…

TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE AND REMINISCE WITH VINTAGE FAVOURITES FROM TIMES GONE BY

JOIN A FULLY GUIDED TOUR THROUGH 4000 YEARS OF CHOCOLATE HISTORY

GUIDED TOUR OF INTERACTIVE EXPLORATION TAKING YOU ON A JOURNEY THROUGH THE CITY WHERE CHOCOLATE WAS MADE

DISCOVER HOW YORK'S GREAT CONFECTIONERY FAMILIES MADE THE CITY SYNONYMOUS WITH CHOCOLATE

LEARN THE ART OF THE CHOCOLATIER

FIND OUT HOW COCOA IS TRANSFORMED FROM BEAN TO BAR

UNWRAP THE SECRETS OF YORK'S MOST FAMOUS BRANDS

LEARN TO TASTE CHOCOLATE LIKE AN EXPERT

MARVEL AT THE SKILLS OF OUR PROFESSIONAL CHOCOLATIERS

INDULGE IN CHOCOLATE

AS WELL AS THE DELICIOUS TREATS ON OUR TOUR, YOU CAN EXPLORE OUR SHOP FOR CHOCOLATE GIFTS (FOR YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE!). WE EVEN HAVE AN ONLINE SHOP WHERE YOU CAN BROWSE OUR FAVOURITES FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR SOFA…

ONLINE SHOP >

Breaking the Mould: The Story of KitKat®

KITKAT EXHIBITION

DISCOVER THE HISTORY OF THE ICONIC KITKAT® AT OUR EXHIBITION

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York’s Chocolate Story King’s Square, York YO1 7LD

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May half-term is almost here, but there’s still time to book one of our choc-tastic events! Choose from our Classic Guided Tour, Truffle Rolling experience or Family Chocolate Masterclass. Find out more here.

Celebrate York’s chocolate and confectionery heritage

York - the chocolate city.

When the wind is blowing right you can smell the lingering aroma of chocolate across the city of York - the Chocolate City. Ever a timeless destination for visitors from around the world, York has been entertaining and sharing sweet treats with visitors for centuries, creating brands and timeless classic confectionery that made global names from the likes of Terry's and the Chocolate Orange and Rowntree's and Kit Kat.

Its rivers brought in the vital ingredients, while the railways transported the final products at speed around the country and the artisans became industrial pioneers.

Today, this sweet legacy continues with treats ranging from humbugs, cakes and fudge still produced in the city, with chocolate remaining a vital part of York’s past, present and future.

Discover more from the attractions, makers, artisans and guides that love sharing York's passion for chocolate.

Chocolate in York

York chocolate trail.

Discover the history behind York’s chocolate foundation and follow the York Chocolate Trail  for a taste experience catered to your sweet tooth.

The city celebrated 250 years of being home to the renowned confectioner Terry’s. Today, this sweet legacy continues with treats ranging from humbugs to fudge produced in the city, with chocolate remaining a vital part of York’s past, present and future.

Download the trail map

Indulge at York's finest chocolatiers

York cocoa works - chocolate café.

York Cocoa Works is a working, learning chocolate factory where visitors can see, eat and craft their very own chocolat…

York Cocoa Works

Cocoa joe's.

Featured on ITV's 'Ainsley Harriott's Good Mood Food', we are Independent business specialising in hot and iced drinks,…

York's Chocolate Story

Welcome to York's Chocolate Story, the ultimate destination for families, chocolate lovers, and anyone seeking a truly …

Chocolate Activities & Events in York

Experience chocolate-themed activities and events in york throughout the year, chocolate manufactory tasting journey at york cocoa works.

Chocolate Manufactory Tasting Journey Learn how we make chocolate at York Cocoa Works with our Chocolate Manufactory Ta…

Chocolate Truffle Making Masterclass

Join us at York Cocoa Works to learn how to craft your own beautiful box of hand made chocolate truffles to your own fa…

Chocolate Indulgence

Join us at York Cocoa Works for a Chocolate Indulgence straight from our chocolate manufactory. Chocolate lovers are in…

Bean to Bar Chocolate Masterclass

Our Bean to Bar Chocolate Masterclass at York Cocoa Works is perfect for a chocolate enthusiast who wants to learn how …

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York's Chocolate Story

Top ways to experience York's Chocolate Story and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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York's Chocolate Story - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

York's Chocolate Story

Top ways to experience York's Chocolate Story and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

YORK'S CHOCOLATE STORY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

The Tour of Chocolate

Voted #1 best food experience in the uk, trip advisor 2022.

With knowledgeable and friendly Guides and delicious chocolate, the original ‘Tour of Chocolate’ is one of Edinburgh’s most popular visitor experiences. For both adults and children and enjoyed by Edinburgh locals and visitors alike. Join one of our daily public tours or check available dates for your staff and corporate event , chocolate hen party , children’s birthday party or educational group .

Tour of Chocolate

The original 90-minute, fully-guided Tour of Chocolate

• create your very own dream chocolate bar to take away
• discover the magic of where chocolate comes from
• see and smell how chocolate is made
• choose from over 40 flavours in the Tasting Room

Suitable for chocolate lovers aged 6+.

Adults £25, Children (aged 6 and over) £17

The cacao jungle.

See and touch the fruit of the chocolate tree, and learn all about cacao farmers and how they grow this fruit with its precious beans inside.

Taste smooth and creamy warm chocolate and discover the fascinating history of cacao, that the Aztecs named the food of the gods!

The Chocolate Factory Kitchen

Experience how chocolate is magically transformed from little almond-shaped beans to the smooth and silky treat we all love.

Discover the difference between dark, milk and white chocolate with some quirky machines to show you how it is all done!

Make your own chocolate bar!

Have fun making your own chocolate bar to take away. You can even choose a bar with a Scottish twist and make a chocolate Greyfriar’s Bobby, a chocolate Nessie or a chocolate Edinburgh Castle!

Get creative as you create your own unique flavour combination with over 20 delicious ingredients to choose from.

Tasting Session

Come to the Tasting Room with our wonderful selection of chocolates from both Scottish and international chocolate makers.

There are over 40 varieties to choose from including dark, milk & white, haggis chocolate, Japanese chocolate, chilli, whisky, salted caramel and many, many more.

Ticket Prices

Tour of Chocolate – Adults £25, Children £17 Truffle-Making Masterclass – £38 Chocolate and Whisky Experience – £44 Chocolate and Wine Experience – £44

Food Allergies and Dietary Requirements

Your Guide will ask for dietary information on arrival but for more details for those with vegan, dairy-free, halal, gluten-free, soya-free and nut-free diets, please click here .

We strive to make The Chocolatarium as accessible as possible for those with dietary requirements. Visitors with severe allergies to mild intolerance to dairy, nuts, gluten and many other products as well as vegans or those who require a halal diet have all successfully enjoyed an experience at The Chocolatarium.

Please note that the wine used in the Chocolate and Wine Experience is not vegan and some of the whiskies in the Chocolate and Whisky Experience may have been aged in barrels that were used for non-vegan wines and sherries.

Single Ticket Bookings

You can book a single ticket online for any of the tours and experiences. However, please be aware that you may need to share a workbench or sitting area/bench with another single traveler. 

If you are concerned about this for social distancing reasons, please complete this form and let us know in the message that you would like to be seated at your own bench/worktable. 

Minimum Ages

Tour of Chocolate – Minimum age 6 Truffle-Making Masterclass – Minimum age 10 Chocolate and Whisky Experience – Strictly over 18s Chocolate and Wine Experience – Strictly over 18s

The attraction is not suitable for children under the age of 6. If you would like to know more details about why we have set these minimum ages and to know if the tour would be right for your child, please see more details on our FAQ page .

Babes-in-arms are welcome provided that they are not of crawling age, are always held in their parent/guardian’s arms and that they are taken to the waiting area should they become restless and the tour disrupted.

Join the Waiting List

If we are fully booked on the days you can visit, join the  waiting list to let us know how many tickets you need and when you can come. We’ll then get in touch by email if tickets become available. You can’t join the waiting list by phone, only by completing the form.

If you can’t make it this time, we hope you can make it next time!

Accessibility

For full accessibility information, please click here .

A tour at the Chocolatarium is suitable for the vast majority of people with special needs such as visual, hearing, cognitive and motor impairments. If you have any disability or accessibility issues and would like further information (or perhaps to come a little early to become familiar with the space), please contact us in advance of your visit to discuss how you can best be supported.

Wheelchair Access We regret that we are not yet able to provide for wheelchair users due to entrance steps and a historical, narrow doorway. However, we are currently consulting on how accessibility can be improved and will endeavour to make the necessary alterations (with appropriate consent from the relevant regulatory bodies) as soon as is practicable.

Carer Discount We provide a discount for carers. Please email us at  [email protected]  for your discount code.

More FAQs...

Perfect for staff and corporate events , chocolate hen parties , children’s birthday parties and educational groups .

Check Availability Reserve a Date

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Event details, and finally, parental consent, what people say about the chocolatarium, holly hinckley, google.

My daughter and I attended a Chocolate tour this week. It was simply amazing. 90 minutes of heaven!

Thank you Bianca for being an amazing host!

Chris, Facebook

This was incredible – one of the best experiences and best value for money of anything I’ve done in Edinburgh – can not believe how high quality the chocolate bars we made are and how much we were able to sample, while learning all about chocolate. I would recommend for kids and adults – thank you Nicole you were brilliant!

Amy Buck, Google

More experiences at the chocolatarium, truffle-making experience.

Try your hand at being a chocolatier...

• discover a variety of fascinating truffle-making techniques
• get messy making your very own truffles to take away
• taste delicious truffles made here at The Chocolatarium

Tickets £38

Chocolate & whisky experience.

For Scotch whisky and chocolate lovers...

• enjoy a deeper and more complex taste experience
• drams of single malts paired with specially selected artisan chocolates and truffles
• make whisky chocolate truffles to take away

Tickets £44

Chocolate & wine experience.

Chocolate and wine bliss…

• experience the fabulous taste combinations of artisan chocolate and wine specially selected by our experts
• discover the world of cacao and see how chocolate is made
• create your very own chocolate bar to take away

Chocolate Tourism in the UK

London, england, a passion for chocolate master class, chocolate connoisseurs tastings, chocolate ecstasy tours, harrods chocolate bar, melt chocolate kitchen, my chocolate workshops, rococo school of chocolate, william curley chocolate workshop, swansea, wales, michton chocolate factory, the chocolate academy, elsewhere in the uk, cadbury world, choccywoccydoodah bar du chocolat, chocolate workshops, chocolate connoisseur evenings, john bull factory tours, kennedys fine chocolates coffee house and factory shop, oban chocolate company factory, pemberton's chocolate farm, slattery's patissier and chocolatier, the chocolate boutique hotel, the chocolate cellar, walkers chocolate emporium.

(SOLD OUT) The Chocolate Men Brunch

The Chocolate Men WESTEND SHOW

The Chocolate Men London Show – Live & Uncensored

DRAW N POUR EXOTIC PAINT PARTY

The Chocolate Men Brunch

THE CHOCOLATE MEN WEST END SHOW

DRAW N POUR – Draw & Pour

The Chocolate Men WEST END SHOW

THE CHOCOLATE MEN

DRAW N POUR – Draw & Pour //

The Chocolate Men Fantasy Bus

The Chocolate Men Halloween Brunch

THE CHOCOLATE MEN HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

DRAW N POUR

The Chocolate Men Pyjama Party Fantasy Bus

The Chocolate Men London Christmas Show

The Chocolate Men Christmas Fantasy Bus

The Chocolate Men London End Of Year Show

The exhibition is now closed!

The chocolate factory.

Discover the magical world of The Chocolate Factory and dive into a universe where your sweetest dreams come true. If you want to travel to this fantasy world, book tickets now! Plenty of surprises await you.

Gingerbread Town

Cupcakes Room

Marshmallow World

Where is it?

A colourful candyland on the first floor of Westfield London! Please see map below for exact location.

Do you have any question? Maybe you can find the answer here!

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Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men

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• Spearmint Rhino

Description

• Cabaret/Burlesque, Hen Party and Something A Little Different
• Tickets from free - £10.00
• Hip Hop/RnB
• This event has taken place.
• 18:30 - 21:30

Due to public demand… Chocolate City UK presents The Chocolate Men London Residency

For those who love their coffee with no milk… the chocolate men have an exciting new london residency at the world famous spearmint rhino, tottenham court road, london. come and experience the most talked about ladies night out in the glamorous club surroundings each and every saturday evening.

Spearmint Rhino is the world leader in adult premier entertainment, winning International club of the year 2016. The London club offers a huge venue with two bars, fours stage shows, with champagne booths, VIP area, celebrity lounge and restaurant. They pride themselves on outstanding customer service from bar staff and waitresses, and their beautiful entertainers. The Chocolate Men are now extremely proud to be part of the Spearmint Rhino experience.

Ladies make The Chocolate Men at Spearmint Rhino your choice for an amazing girl’s night out, the place to celebrate your birthday or hen night in style, trust us it will be a memorable one!

Our tickets start at just £20 for general admission, but if you fancy ‘doing it ‘in even more style, we have various luxury booths which include specially selected drinks for you and your party.

Buy a Meet and Greet ticket and you will get a chance to chat to our dancers prior to their performances, and grab some photographs in the amazing surroundings with your favourite Chocolate Men to show off to your friends!

For those who want that bit more up close and personal time with The Chocolate Men, and to continue your night in their company, you now have the option to buy FANTASY BUS tickets. You will be picked up directly outside Spearmint Rhino, Tottenham Court Road, London, after the close of The Chocolate Men show.

Tickets are very limited and are on a first come first served basis:

General information:

STRICTLY OVER 18’S PHOTO ID WILL BE REQUIRED – SPEARMINT RHINO AND THE FANTASY BUS HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ADMISSION.

Dress to impress – strictly no sportswear, blue jeans, trainers or caps

Spearmint Rhino Show Times: Doors 6:30pm | Show Starts 7:30pm sharp | Show End 9:45pm

Please note that this event has no affiliation with the film of the same name

Tickets/times.

Spearmint Rhino, 161 Tottenham Court Road, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 7NN

Nearest Station

Warren Street (Tube)

Getting there

The Chocolate Men

• View Website

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Never Miss The Artists You Love!

Register for a See account here to import your Spotify library or ‘follow’ artists you find on our site to add them to your ‘favourites’. We will send you email alerts every time one of your favourite artists goes on tour.

In your user account, you can import your Spotify library or ‘follow’ artists you find on our site to add them to your ‘favourites’. We will send you email alerts every time one of your favourite artists goes on tour.

Chocolate City UK Tour Tickets and Dates

Sorry, there are no shows for Chocolate City UK Tour right now.

Past Chocolate City UK Tour Events

Sat 19 Dec 2020 Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men Spearmint Rhino, London

Sat 12 Dec 2020 Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men Spearmint Rhino, London

Sat 05 Dec 2020 Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men Spearmint Rhino, London

Sat 28 Nov 2020 Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men Spearmint Rhino, London

Sat 21 Nov 2020 Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men Spearmint Rhino, London

Sat 14 Nov 2020 Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men Spearmint Rhino, London

Sat 07 Nov 2020 Chocolate City London Show w/ The Chocolate Men Spearmint Rhino, London

The Chocolate Men

• Sat 1 Jun London, Eight Embankment The Chocolate Men Westend Show View tickets
• Sat 29 Jun London, Eight Embankment The Chocolate Men Westend Show View tickets
• Sat 6 Jul London, Eight Embankment The Chocolate Men Westend Show View tickets
• Sat 27 Jul London, Eight Embankment The Chocolate Men Westend Show View tickets
• Sat 10 Aug London, Eight Embankment The Chocolate Men Westend Show View tickets
• Sat 14 Dec London, Eight Embankment The Chocolate Men Westend Show View tickets

Chocolate City Travel

Our Special Trips    Special Information Here

Destinations overview -> England

Discover everything about England from its beautiful natural landscapes and historic World Heritage Sites, to its vibrant and cosmopolitan cities.

Year of Literary Heroes

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of J.K. Rowling’s novel “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” and commemorate the 200th year anniversary of Jane Austen’s death with lively literature-inspired events throughout 2017. Head to Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station in London to follow in the footsteps of everyone’s favorite wizard or book a studio tour. Visit The Jane Austen Centre in Bath to learn more about the author’s life, or swing by the Georgian city in September for the namesake festival and annual Grand Regency Costumed Promenade.

Culture & Heritage

Discover the eye-opening diversity of England, ranging from charming Cornish villages to romantic Cotswolds hillsides. And at the heart of it all, find London. This cutting-edge city is as dedicated to uncovering new trends as it is to preserving old traditions. Though one could spend weeks seeking out all of its hidden treasures, to truly experience England in all its glory, it’s best to venture further afield.

Steeped in history and full of fine jewels, celebrated artwork, unique objects, and incredible craftsmanship, the royal family's famous houses across the UK are truly a sight to see. Learn more about the history of the royal family, how and where they grew up, and get a glimpse into what life is like as a royal.

Search Trips

Money blog: The 'least bad' popular sweets - and the ones that 'can wreak havoc on your health'

An expert gives his analysis on the "least bad" popular sweets on the market - while warning over those with the highest sugar content. Read this and the rest of today's consumer and personal finance news below, and leave your thoughts in the comments box.

Friday 31 May 2024 09:48, UK

• New house price figures hint at shift in market
• First-time buyers urged to consider building societies over banks
• Leon rivals Pret with new coffee subscription deal

Essential reads

• The popular sweets that are the 'least bad' for you
• Women in Business : 'A truck unloaded a £600 car that her son bought on eBay thinking it was a toy' - the schoolgate stories that led to GoHenry
• Money Problem : 'My mortgage lender is ending my two-year fix and I haven't been in the house for two years - can they do this?'
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

JD Sports is one of the big losers on the stock market this morning after its shares plunged more than 12% in early UK trading.

It comes after the sportswear retailer released its results for the year to January on Friday - and revealed it had suffered an 8% drop in pre-tax profits.

Revenues also dropped by 8.3% to £3.51bn over the 12 months - but its organic sales grew by 9%.

Despite the figures, the chain's chief executive Regis Schultz hailed the company's "strong" performance in what he described as a "challenging market".

In other markets news, the government has sold £1.24bn of its shares in NatWest.

The Treasury's stake in the high street staple has fallen by around 3.5 percentage points to 22.5% as a result of the move.

The bank received several multibillion-pound bailouts during the 2008/09 financial crisis and is being gradually returned to private ownership.

However, a public share sale planned for this summer has been postponed because of the upcoming general election - as Sky News revealed last week.

Overall, there's little change on the FTSE 100 this Friday morning.

It's down 0.3% as investors await inflation news in the US and Europe which could impact on potential interest rate cuts.

On the currency markets, £1 buys $1.27 US or €1.17 - similar to yesterday's rates.

The latest UK house price data from a leading index has been released this morning - which hints at a potential shift in the market.

Nationwide Building Society said the average UK house price rose slightly in May, bucking two months of falls amid signs of market "resilience".

UK property prices rose 0.4% month-on-month, following a similar sized fall of 0.4% in April, it said. 

The increase leaves the average house price at £264,249 - with the annual rate of growth more than doubled to 1.3% in May, from 0.6% in April.

Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, said: "The market appears to be showing signs of resilience in the face of ongoing affordability pressures following the rise in longer term interest rates in recent months.

"Consumer confidence has improved noticeably over the last few months, supported by solid wage gains and lower inflation."

Every Friday we get an overview of the mortgage market with the help of industry experts. This week the guys at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk are helping us focus on first-time buyers - and why building societies may provide the best option for them.

First, the broader mortgage market. Moneyfacts finance expert finance expert Rachel Springall said: "It has been a relatively quiet week for fixed-rate mortgage re-pricing, but there have been a couple of building societies tweaking rates as well as withdrawing selected deals. This includes a sub 5% five-year fixed rate mortgage from Saffron Building Society at 90% loan-to-value.

"Week on week, the overall average two-year fixed rate remained unchanged 5.92% but the five-year rate rose to 5.49%."

Honing in on first-time buyers, and Moneyfacts has issued advice that building societies can often be the best option for those starting out.

Rachel said: "First-time buyers comparing mortgages will find building societies on average price lower than the market averages (90% and 95% loan-to-value, for two- and five-year fixed mortgages)."

The big-seven bank (Barclays, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, NatWest, RBS and Santander) average is actually lower, Moneyfacts says - but "the lowest rate deals might not be the best on a true cost basis". 

"Mutuals have pioneered innovative products and initiatives for buyers, such as the Track Record mortgage from Skipton Building Society, the £5,000 deposit mortgage from Yorkshire Building Society and the partnership between Leeds Building Society and Experian to potentially help consumers to boost their credit score," Rachel says. 

"In addition, Nationwide’s Helping Hand mortgage gives first-time buyers the option of borrowing a higher loan amount.

"Saving money on the upfront cost of a mortgage is incredibly important for first-time buyers who may have exhausted their cash on a deposit, legal fees and moving costs. Any borrower looking to get their foot on the property ladder would be wise to seek independent advice to ensure they find the right deal for them."

This week's lowest rates for first-time buyers are...

This week's Moneyfacts has the Best Buys - which look at the overall cost of the mortgage, not just the rate - as... 

It can be hard to balance the demands of eating well without spending a lot.

In this series, we try to find the healthiest options in the supermarket for the best value - and have enlisted the help of  Sunna Van Kampen , founder of Tonic Health, who went viral on social media for reviewing food in the search of healthier choices.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tonic Health (@tonichealth)

In this series we don't try to find the outright healthiest option, but help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

Today we're looking at sweets. 

"We all love a treat now and then, but making small changes in our choices can lead to big benefits without having to give up entirely," Sunna says.  

The sugar hit

"It is important to put it into context just how impactful a bag of sweets can be," Sunna says. 

The NHS daily recommendation for sugar intake is 30g a day for adults, 24g a day for seven to 10-year-olds and 19g a day for four to six-year-olds. 

A typical bag 100g bag of sweets can contain anywhere from 40-70g of sugar - more than double your daily intake.

It's safe to say Sunna is not a fan of one of the nation's favourite brands, pointing to their 74% sugar content. 

"To put that into perspective, that's almost three-quarters of each Skittle being pure sugar, or 25 teaspoons in one 136g bag," he says.

That's three times the daily recommended intake according to the NHS. 

"While they're undeniably tasty, this sugar content can wreak havoc on your health and they are also coloured with a multitude of artificial colours."

Sky News approached Skittles' parent company Mars Inc. for comment but did not receive a reply. 

"While none are healthy, there is an opportunity to cut your sugar intake in dramatically within the Haribo range," Sunna explains. 

Here's the sugar breakdown:

• Supermix - 55% sugar content
• Tangfastics - 50% sugar content
• Starmix - 47% sugar content
• Fruitilicious - 34% sugar content
• Zingfest - 32% sugar content (and Sunna's new favourite)

The difference becomes clear when you break that down into teaspoons of sugar. 

"Supermix has 24 teaspoons of sugar in a 175g share bag while Zingfest has only 12 in a 150g share bag," Sunna says. 

"That's a 50% reduction in your sugar content, albeit it on a slightly smaller bag size, but portion control is important because nobody is putting an open bag back in the cupboard."

A sweet alternative

Sunna recommends Rowntree's Berry Hearts if you're looking for something to try. 

"These little heart-shaped gummies do my favourite thing - remove all the yellows and oranges in favour of a bag full of reds and purples - but also only contain 35% sugar.

"That's less than half the sugar content of Skittles - and they use black carrot, carrot and hibiscus as colours in place of artificial sweeteners."

A bag of Skittles every week would lead to more than 5.2kg of sugar a year. 

"Swapping to Berry Hearts would be 2.1kg a year - a saving of over 3kg of sugar. That's a massive reduction," Sunna says. 

This shows that, even when indulging in sweets, picking ones with lower sugar content can make a big difference. 

"Reducing sugar not only helps with weight management but also lowers the risk of chronic diseases and improves overall well-being."

The nutritionist's view - from  Nichola Ludlam-Raine, d ietitian at  nicsnutrition.com ...

"Sweets and candy are undeniably a treat that many of us enjoy, but it's important to be mindful of their sugar content, especially with the significant variations between different types, in addition to the portion size and frequency in which we are consuming them. 

"Grab bags and share bags can lead us to eating more, and may distort what is a healthy portion size. 

"In addition, most of us would look on in horror if we actually saw the amount of sugar that was being added to these sweet treats.

"Choosing options with a lower sugar content, like Rowntree's Berry Hearts, can help satisfy a sweet tooth while helping us to keep below the daily free-sugar limits (free-sugar includes added sugar, and the sugar naturally occurring in honey and fruit juice too), but we mustn't be misled by these 'health halos' either - sugar is sugar, and it can easily add up if it's consumed too regularly throughout the day.

"Reducing our free-sugar intake should be a goal for many of us, and is crucial not just for weight management but for overall health, including reducing the risk of dental caries (although sugary drinks tend to take the biscuit here). 

"Remember, making small, smarter choices can lead to substantial health benefits over time. 

"Enjoy your treats, but have them in moderation (ie, not on a daily basis), choose wisely and try not to graze on sugary sweets throughout the day as your teeth won't thank you."

Read more from this series... 

UK house prices could rise slightly this year and outpace inflation over the next two years, according to a poll.

Housing market specialists surveyed by Reuters predict a 1.8% overall increase in prices for 2024, with wage growth expected to outstrip this.

A predicted drop in mortgage rates will also improve affordability for first-time buyers, they said.

Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at estate agency Hamptons , said: "Stable house prices combined with real income growth should aid affordability this year."

Following a more modest rise this year, prices will grow by 3.1% in 2025 and 4% in 2026, according to the poll carried over four weeks in May.

Specialist forecasts for 2024 ranged from a 4% drop to a 4% increase.

But despite the predicted rise, a lack of supply could prove a hurdle for househunters - especially those getting on the ladder for the first time.

Seventeen specialists polled said supply was likely to fall short of demand in the coming two to three years. 

"Construction is throttled by a lack of positive sentiment among developers. They will only build again when there are sure signs of market and political stability," said property consultant Russell Quirk .

A separate Reuters poll found that the Bank of England's base rate, which has been at 5.25% since August 2023, could drop to 4.5% by the end of the year and 3.5% by the end of 2025 - still far above the record low 0.1% during the pandemic.

Leon has launched its own coffee subscription scheme in a move to rival fellow high street brand Pret A Manger.

The fast food chain's £25-a-month "Roast Rewards" deal offers five barista-made drinks per day as well as 20% off the breakfast and all-day food menu.

It undercuts Pret's £30 a month offer, which also allows for up to five drinks a day and 20% off food. 

Customers will also be given bonus "loyalty points" when they subscribe and each time they renew. The scheme launches on 30 May through the Leon Club App.

Leon managing director Mac Plumpton said the company was "so excited to unveil the UK's most affordable coffee subscription".

Pret increased the price of its "Club Pret" subscription service by 20% to £30 a month in 2023, citing increased costs.

Energy prices are expected to rise again in the autumn and last week's announcement of a cut in the cap from July should not be taken as a "sign of stability", the head of the Energy Saving Trust has said.

"Confirmation that energy prices are coming down for the next quarter is very welcome," Mike Thornton said.

"However, no one should take this lower price cap as a sign of stability."

He added: "Forecasts show that energy prices are set to rise again this autumn and will be staying high overall for the next decade."

He urged the next UK government - to be decided in the general election on 4 July - to focus on policies that "support people to use less energy and install cost-effective energy efficiency improvements in their homes".

The cap will fall to £1,568 a year from 1 July - a drop of £122 from the previous quarter. 

McDonald's customers have taken to social media to complain about a "naughty" detail in one of its new deals. 

The fast food giant started a new mix and match deal this week - which allows shoppers to pick up three items for just £3 in store.

However, those ordering online have found the price increase to £4 for the same deal. 

Writing in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group, one user shared a screenshot of her My McDoanld's app, writing: "It's gone from 3 for £3 to 3 for £4. Which is odd, or is that cause it's on the app."

Another branded the price difference "naughty". 

McDonald’s has since confirmed that this price is correct on app.

The increase is due to delivery fees charged by couriers like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat - and is fairly standard across the industry. 

Sony Music is reportedly in talks to purchase the entirety of rock band Queen's music catalogue in a deal mooted to be worth some $1bn (around £800m). 

Bloomberg reports  the company has partnered with another anonymous investor to engage Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon and the estate of Freddie Mercury over a sale that would be the largest of its kind.

Queen Productions Ltd, of which the bandmates and Mercury's estate are equal shareholders, recorded revenues of $52m in the year that ended in September 2022. 

This comes after the catalogue of Bruce Springsteen was acquired by Sony in 2021, while rival Warner Music bought David Bowie's songbook for around $250m in 2022, as industry giants battle to invest in songwriting catalogues. 

They are seen by many as attractive investments as the music can be used in future films, advertisements and on the radio - which all produce royalties for the rights owners. 

A squeeze on people's incomes due to frozen tax thresholds will continue until 2028 under Tory plans, Jeremy Hunt has confirmed.

Rishi Sunak introduced a freeze on tax-free personal allowance thresholds (the amount you can earn before you start paying tax) when he was chancellor back in 2021. In his autumn 2022 budget, Mr Hunt extended the time it would need to be in place from 2026 to 2028.

The frozen rates mean many have failed to feel the benefit of a the national insurance cut which kicked in this year.

The Office for Budget Responsibility also estimates the static rates will drag an additional four million people into paying tax by 2028 and push three million into a higher tax bracket. This is because wages will go up alongside inflation but the threshold won't. 

The policy is often referred to as a "stealth tax".

Mr Hunt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme today: "The tax rises that happened as a result of the pandemic and the energy shock, these two giant shocks, will stay for their allotted time period."

But he reiterated the Conservatives' pledge to end the freeze after 2028, saying: "I can absolutely undertake that the threshold freeze that we introduced until 2028 will not continue after that."

The Tories have said they will unfreeze the thresholds for pensioners if they win the election.

Labour has also refused to commit to unfreezing overall tax thresholds.

Sir Keir Starmer said earlier that he believed the tax burden on working people was "too high" but that his party was not going to "make commitments that we cannot afford".

"Therefore I'm very clear about the tax that will remain and will be locked and where we cannot make those commitments," he said.

What are the tax thresholds and what do they mean?

The personal tax allowance is frozen at £12,570. You don't pay income tax on anything you earn below that - anything above is taxed at the 20% base rate. At the same time, the higher rate has been frozen at £50,271 - anything above that is taxed at 40%.

Tom Selby, director of public policy at AJ Bell, said the personal allowance, if it had been inflation-linked since 2021-22, would be forecast to rise to £15,989 by 2028 - nearly £3,500 higher than the frozen threshold.

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