SHOCK research has found the divisive Bounty is NOT the nation’s most-disliked chocolate in a tub of Celebrations.
Mars has fallen into last place when it comes to the UK’s rankings and the comprehensive study of 4,000 people saw Maltesers deemed the best of the bunch.
Four in 10 (43%) selected the malty chocolate treat as their favourite, putting it ahead of Galaxy in second place on 34%.
But a mini-Mars was selected by just 18% as their favourite.
Galaxy was well-represented in the top listings, with the caramel version placing third, with Snickers in fourth.
Bounty rounded out the top five, ahead of Twix, Milky Way and then Mars.
This was true across the UK except for Belfast, where 91% like a Mars and rarely leave it until last in the tub.
The research was commissioned by Celebrations themselves, which is inviting all chocolate lovers to join the debate this Christmas using the hashtag #MyFavourite.
The study also found Londoners in particular have an abiding love for the Malteser.
To celebrate, Roman and Martin Kemp took to London’s streets in a festive rickshaw to declare Maltesers as the city’s top pick.
Roman Kemp said: “Nothing says Christmas like an argument over the chocolate tub.
“Whether it’s about who gets the last one or why no one’s eating the Bounty, the debates are endless.
“I’m firmly on Team Maltesers, but Dad is very much Team Twix.”
The research went on to find 14% of people feel Christmas simply wouldn’t be the same without a debate over which chocolate rules the tub.
A third (33%) admit they also have a “first pick” they’ll target as soon as the packaging is opened.
With more than a tenth (12%) of families going through disputes around who gets first pick when the seal is broken.
But 20% believe everyone involved should get to choose one chocolate, before anybody is allowed to dip in for seconds.
The best Celebrations, ranked:
1. Maltesers
2. Galaxy
3. Galaxy Caramel
4. Snickers
5. Bounty
6. Twix
7. Milky Way
8. Mars
We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don't have to break the bank buying your favourite bar.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs…
Go own brand – if you’re not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you’ll save by going for the supermarket’s own brand bars.
Shop around – if you’ve spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it’s cheaper elsewhere.
Websites like Trolley.co.uk let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you’re getting the best deal.
Look out for yellow stickers – supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they’ve been reduced.
They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged.
Buy bigger bars – most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar.
So if you’ve got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.
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