6. Chocolate War

Since chocolate is big business, a lot of research is done on ways to make the production and transportation methods of cacao cheaper. One way to make chocolate cheaper is to put less cacao butter in it, and to add some cacao butter replacing fats, such as palm and soy oil. According to the chocolate producers, chocolate bars with cacao butter replacing fats also have the advantage that they do not turn white when kept for a longer period. The European Committee proposed in April 1996, that all members of the European union should decide for themselves, whether or not they allow the production of chocolate with 5% cacao butter replacing fats and that both kinds of chocolate may be sold in all the countries of the European Union, as long as the label tells us what kind of cacao butter is inside. By making this proposal, the European Committee probably forgot about the International Cacao Agreement. In 1993, all who signed this agreement, where obliged to help the cacao producing nations and to take all possible steps to stimulate the consumption of cacao in their countries.

Figure 5: Current Chocolate Laws in Europe (Fair Trade, 1997)

In some European countries "chocolate" with cacao butter substitutes is already being produced. Seven countries do not allow any cacao butter replacing fats in chocolate, but eight countries do allow a maximum of 5 % cacao butter replacing fats in their "chocolate". (see the map in figure 5)

Because of these differences between the European countries , there's a situation of unfair concurrency. For instance, English chocolate producers are allowed to make cheap chocolate with less cacao butter and sell them in the Dutch shops, while the Dutch producers of chocolate are not allowed to put cacao butter substitutes in their chocolate bars. The chocolate producers aren't very happy with this situation. Therefore the European parliament will decide on the harmonization of the chocolate laws, this month. The question is whether one should allow a maximum of 5% cacao butter replacing fats, or whether one should completely forbid the use of cacao butter substitutes.

- back to index -
- chapter 5 : From pod to bean, different varieties of cacao & consumption -
- chapter 7 : Will Chocolate Still be chocolate? -