Cocoa is a crop which is particularly prone to the impacts of climate change - additional heat or unusual rainfall patterns are not its favourite thing. As a result the price of cocoa has quadrupled in the last three years.
Cocoa only grows in a few small areas of the world, and these are warming up and being subject to extreme weather, whether heat or excessive rainfall.
This Guardian article explores the impact of recent weather on the crop and the impact on producers and those who process it into the sweet treat that is so popular in the UK.
Christian Aid have also produced a resource which focusses on chocolate around Valentine's Day when boxes of chocolates are very common in stores - as well as the run in to Christmas.
One company is looking to make chocolate from rice rather than cocoa.
Some companies have looked to reduce the amount of cocoa in their products to reduce costs, but this compromises on the final product. McVitie’s Penguin and Club bars, along with KitKat White and McVitie’s White Digestives, can no longer be marketed as chocolate because they do not contain enough cocoa.
Planet A foods also produce chocolate using alternative ingredients.
The climate crisis and deforestation have made cacao production increasingly unstable and environmentally costly. At the same time, global demand for chocolate continues to rise, putting further pressure on supply chains.Image: Chocolate bar - Alan Parkinson - shared under CC license.
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