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Sign up today to receive our range of news alerts including Morning News, the Daily Briefing and Latest News.

Money Marketing Events
Be the first to hear about our industry-leading annual conferences and events, including the Money Marketing Awards and Money Marketing Interactive Leeds and London.

Have your say
Only registered users can post comments. As the voice of the adviser community, our content generates robust debate. Register today and make your voice heard.

Monthly magazine
Apply for your FREE Money Marketing subscription and benefit from our award-winning editorial content delivered to your home, office or inbox every month.

CADBURY has shrunk the size of a popular Christmas chocolate and shoppers will be disappointed.

The iconic treat manufacturer has reduced the size of its Buttons selection box from 375g to 340g.

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When launched last year the pack contained Caramilk Buttons, Orange Giant Buttons and Salted Caramel Button.

This year it has been tweaked to include, Caramel Nibbles and White chocolate buttons, alongside the classic Milk Chocolate Buttons.

At the time, shoppers went crazy for the box, with one commenting in a social media post that they “needed this in their life”.

Representatives from Mondelēz International, the parent company of Cadbury, have confirmed to The Sun that the product has been reduced in size.

A spokesperson blamed higher cocoa and sugar costs for the reduction in the amount of chocolate in each box.

They said: “This means that our products continue to be much more expensive to make and while we have absorbed these costs where possible, we still face considerable challenges.

“We understand the economic pressures that consumers continue to face and any changes to our product sizes is a last resort for our business. “

While the amount of chocolate shoppers receive has reduced the price remains about the same.

Asda is still charging £5 for the selection box, the same price it set last year.

Meanwhile, Tesco is charging £6 for the 340g box or £5 if you buy it using your Clubcard.

The UK’s biggest supermarket charged Clubcard shoppers £4.50 for the selection box last year.

This is not the only case shoppers have witnessed of chocolates shrinking in size.

The Sun revealed this week that the Cadbury selection box now weighs just 125g, down by 14 per cent from 145g last year.

It is more than a quarter smaller than the box was in 2018 when it was 169g.

However, the price has also increased. 

In 2021 – when it was bigger – it was available in supermarkets for between £1.25 and £2. 

This year, it costs between £1.75 and £2.75 at the UK’s four main supermarket chains.

It also includes small versions of Fudge, Wispa and Crunchie, a treat-size pack of mini-buttons and small Dairy Milk bar and the caramel Freddo, axing the Double Decker bar.

When approached by The Sun, the chocolate giant also cited supply chain issues as the cause.

What is shrinkflation?

Shrinkflation is causing massive problems for shoppers across the world.

It is when manufacturers shrink the size or quantity of a product while keeping the price the same.

This means that consumers will be paying more per given amount.

Rising the price per gram is a well-oiled strategy used by companies to stealthily boost profit margins or to cement them in times of rising input costs.

Companies will often engage in shrinkflation when their production costs begin to rise.

A heavy hit to profit margins may force the company to simply shrink its products rather than increase the sticker price.

One of the best ways to notice shrinkflation is by spotting a redesign on the packaging or a new slogan.

This may mean the company has made a change and that change may just be the size of the product.

It is mainly seen in the food and beverage industries but can also happen in almost all markets.

It is a form of hidden inflation as shrinkflation often goes unnoticed by customers.

Companies run the risk of turning customers away from a product or brand if they notice they are getting less for the same price.

In recent weeks, pet owners were enraged after multipack Purina Felix Original cat food shrunk by 15 per cent.

How to save money on chocolate

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…

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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.

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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.

It has been 10 years since financial education was introduced to the national curriculum for secondary schools in England.

At primary school level, the national curriculum provides a framework for young children to recognise coins and learn how to use money through simple ‘number problems’ in maths lessons.

The ‘real life’ context comes later, during citizenship or ‘personal, social, health and economic’ education from age 11.

However, some schools do not follow the national curriculum, adding weight to the criticism that financial education is inconsistent in England.

Children need to be taught that Amazon doesn’t just turn up on the doorstep with toys

Earlier this year, a report by the House of Commons Education Committee found widespread evidence that financial education in England’s primary schools was “insufficient and should be expanded”.

So, how should financial education be presented to younger children and what role do financial advisers have in this?

Never too early

While not perfect, financial education has a bigger presence in other parts of the UK.

In Scotland, for example, it is part of the maths curriculum from age three and is taught within social studies as part of learning about business and enterprise.

In Northern Ireland, where financial education is a statutory requirement from age four, the value of money, saving and budgeting are covered in the later primary school years.

This can be achieved by better collaboration between policymakers, financial services providers and charities

Commentators point to research from Cambridge University in 2013 — which showed that financial habits tend to be formed by the age of seven — to underline the importance of financial education at an early age.

Some recall personal experiences with their own children that highlighted the need for early financial education, particularly in an increasingly digital and cashless society where spending has become so easy and scammers are at large.

About four years ago, MKC Wealth chief executive Dominic Rose was astounded when one of his children inadvertently ordered a toy from Amazon while playing with an iPad.

“My three-year-old had no concept of money being spent and no understanding that money had to be earned,” he says.

“Children need to be taught that Amazon doesn’t just turn up on the doorstep bringing toys.”

One of the ways MKC Wealth is helping with that is through a series of children’s picture books featuring the character of Eddie Teddie. The books aim to provide young children with ‘gentle’ financial education as they follow Eddie Teddie’s tale of earning extra pocket money to save up for a scooter.

We are teaching young children about coins, but less than 20% of transactions are in cash

Eddie Teddie was created by Face-to-Face Finance in 2019 and MKC Wealth ‘adopted’ him when it acquired Face-to-Face Finance last year. There are currently three books in the series, with a fourth in the pipeline.

“We picked up the mantle and gave the Eddie Teddie books to our clients to give to their children,” says Rose. “We are also selling copies through Amazon, with all proceeds going to a financial education charity.”

Primary schools — and even nurseries — are ideally placed to support parents in providing financial education at home by suggesting fun activities and signposting to useful information online.

“There are so many ways [to approach financial education] as all children learn differently,” says Rowan Harding, a financial adviser at Path Financial.

“Sometimes it can be very practical, to give children a feel for money rather than using electronic money.”

Teachers tell me the curriculum is so full they don’t have the room for financial education. They would need to take something else off

Giving children pocket money on the condition they spend half and save half, taking them into a bank or building society so they experience paying money into an account, playing ‘shops’ or even setting up a pretend bank are just a few of Harding’s suggestions for very young children.

“There are lots of ways to make financial education enjoyable,” she says.

A structured approach

A recent report by financial services trade association UK Finance highlights a range of projects in which financial services firms are involved to improve access to financial education.

In 2023, UK Finance members provided financial education to 4.1 million children. However, the trade body acknowledges that “a significant amount of work” remains and it would like to see the creation of a structured financial education curriculum roadmap.

In the short term, we believe the best way to deliver financial education in schools is to have approved external delivery organisations

“This should begin in early childhood and extend through the teenage years, to provide a steady and evolving understanding of financial matters as children progress through their educational journey,” says UK Finance head of vulnerability, financial inclusion and capability Fiona Turner.

“The financial services industry has been proactive in voluntarily providing financial education resources for primary, secondary and special educational needs schools, and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback on the impact this has had on students’ understanding and confidence in managing money.”

However, the organisation estimates it has reached only 40% of school children.

“This is why we are calling on the government to fully integrate financial education into the national curriculum by making delivery of financial education lessons mandatory for all schools and monitored by Ofsted,” adds Turner.

Some believe it is important for financial education to include the behavioural aspects of making sound financial decisions.

This should begin in early childhood and extend through the teenage years, to provide a steady and evolving understanding of financial matters

“This goes beyond traditional subjects like maths; it’s about understanding the psychology of spending, saving and investing,” says Quilter chief executive Steven Levin.

“We urge the Labour government to recognise the critical role of financial education and integrate it into our educational system, including at earlier primary school ages when behaviour is often embedded in children.”

Levin believes that this will ensure financial literacy “becomes a common standard, not a privilege”.

Long-term impact

Those who work in financial services are passionate about financial education because they understand the difference it can make. MKC Wealth advisers, for example, volunteer at a debt-advice centre and regularly see the consequences of poor financial literacy.

It goes beyond traditional subjects like maths; it’s about understanding the psychology of spending, saving and investing

Research commissioned by GoHenry — the pre-paid debit card and financial education app aimed at children and teenagers — found that UK adults who had not received financial education as children were more likely to be unemployed or earning less compared to those who had.

GoHenry founder and chief executive Louise Hill says: “In the short term, we believe the best way to deliver financial education in schools is to have approved external delivery organisations, with specialist teachers and bespoke resources going in to teach financial education for a set number of hours or days each term.”

In the long term, adds Hill, teachers must be given adequate time and resources so they can teach the subject themselves. They do not have these now.

There are so many ways [to approach financial education] as all children learn differently

Five Wealth director Steve Hughes says: “Teachers tell me the curriculum is so full they don’t have the room for financial education. They would need to take something else off.”

This would, of course, require government approval.

As a Personal Finance Society education champion, Hughes provides financial education sessions in schools and runs his own sessions on financial services careers. He describes financial education provision in England’s schools as “an embarrassment”.

“We are teaching young children about coins, but less than 20% of transactions are in cash,” he says.

“It’s anachronistic and needs updating to be reflective of how young people see money today.”

Some people may question the effectiveness of financial education given that little research has been conducted on the impact and benefits.

We gave the Eddie Teddie books to our clients to give to their children

“But the reality is that it’s not going to have a negative impact,” says St James’s Place director of partner engagement and consultancy Alexandra Loydon.

She adds: “The proof is in the pudding, when lots of people are planning for their retirement — but that will take a generation to follow through.”

In the meantime, how does Loydon think this can be achieved?

“By better collaboration between policymakers, financial services providers and charities,” she says.

“We need everyone working together for the common good.”

This article featured in the October 2024 edition of Money Marketing. 

If you would like to subscribe to the monthly magazine, please click here.

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EVERYONE loves a discount, voucher or promo code, but finding working codes for shopping websites can take a lot of work.

Dedicated voucher websites such as MyVoucherCodes.co.uk and HotUKDeals can help you find – and share – the latest offers.

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But searching these sites takes time and effort, with codes typically only working a limited number of times or for a certain time period. 

This is where web browser extensions (also called web widgets, add-ons or plug-ins) come in handy. Installing a free extension to your internet browser can mean finding the best working discount codes in a matter of seconds. 

Instead of copying and pasting promo codes from random websites and hoping they work, the web extension does all the legwork for you by scanning and testing all available codes at the checkout and applying the best code to your shopping cart.

For the non-techy people, browsers are software programs we use to search the internet. The top three popular browsers are Chrome, Safari and Edge.

Browser extensions are small programs or ‘add-ons’ you can download to add new features to your browser. 

Deepak Tailor, founder of LatestFreeStuff.co.uk, explained: “Free discount code browser extensions should be on everyone’s browser. After ad blockers, I think it’s the most important thing you could have. It’s like free money.

“When you’re on a shop’s website, with the Chrome extension installed for free, you’ll see a little pop-up suggesting there may be some discount codes available. At checkout, you can try the codes and see if it saves you any money.

“These extensions save you from manually searching on Google and going to lots of different coupon websites. It’s there right where you want it.”

ITV is the latest organisation to launch a discount code browser extension via its new consumer-facing affiliate marketing brand ‘ITV Kerching’. The add-on uses tech company Kindred’s technology to search for discount codes from retailers. 

Other discount-hunting browser add-ons have been around much longer.

Honey launched in 2012 and was acquired by PayPal in 2020 for about $4billion (£3.73billion).

Now called PayPal Honey, the extension searches for promo codes from more than 30,000 online stores across the world. It also offers a price tracking tool called Droplist and a rewards system called Honey Gold. 

Pouch is a UK-based browser extension, offering exclusive deals from thousands of UK retailers. Alternatively, VoucherCodes.co.uk has a linked browser extension called DealFinder which automates the search for codes. Coupert, which tests codes at more than 20,000 retailers, is worth experimenting with too.  

Liz Hunter, director at Money Expert, said: “If you’re a frequent online shopper, consider installing more than one voucher code extension. Each extension may have unique deals and discounts in its database, so cross-referencing them can help you to maximise your savings.

“Some extensions allow you to set up notifications for your favourite retailers. This feature is well worth activating – it ensures you’re alerted as soon as new discount codes are available, so you never miss a great deal.”

While voucher code extensions are a no-brainer when it comes to saving money shopping online, there are other types of money-saving extensions too. 

Price comparison extensions

For example, price comparison extensions can be useful when it comes to navigating sales such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which often leads to retailers overstating deals and savings. 

“They can help you quickly identify genuine deals and avoid falling for inflated prices. Shoptimate and PriceBlink are great options here, which both automatically compare prices to other retailers selling the same item,” said Hunter.

PriceScout works in a similar way, automatically scanning more than 21,000 stores in order to let you know which retailer has the lowest price on the item you’re viewing. Its automatic coupon notifications will then alert you to money-saving codes to use at the checkout.

Earn cash back while shopping

There are also cashback browser extensions which allow you to earn money back on your online purchases by tracking your shopping activity and rewarding you with a percentage of your spending back in cash. 

TopCashback’s browser extension both searches for discount codes and also automatically activates cashback offers, meaning users can earn money back on their purchases across a wide range of UK retailers, including Boots, eBay, and Expedia.

Adam Bullock, UK director at TopCashback, said: “On average, our members can save £300 a year by shopping through the site, and as long as the browser extension is installed, members don’t even have to click out to TopCashback to shop.

Shoppers can make purchases at their favourite brands directly through their sites just by clicking the ‘Activate Now’ button that pops up.”

Compare price histories

If you’re a regular Amazon user, a browser extension called CamelCamelCamel allows you to compare products and view price history on the site, meaning you can see how prices have fluctuated over time and when might be the best time to buy.

How do browser extensions make money? It’s basically a type of affiliate marketing strategy where the companies behind the plug-ins earn a commission from a brand if shoppers use a certain code. 

Installing browser extensions is fairly straightforward. You can either click the buttons on the browser extension’s website, or go to the ‘extensions library’ in your web browser. They’re all free. 

The only catch is that not every browser extension works on every web browser. ITV Kerching only works on Chrome, for example. They might not work on your phone’s browser either. If that’s the case, it will be best to use a laptop, PC or Mac for  online shopping.

Tailor said: “You do need to watch out which you install. Check reviews and the permissions requested. Go with trusted UK brands that adhere to UK data protection laws (Honey and Latest Deals is such a company).

“There are many unofficial extensions that do not disclose what they’re doing with your data.”

SAVVY shoppers can make big savings this Christmas by carefully timing purchases.

Prices in the shops fluctuate throughout the year as retailers adjust costs based on demand.

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Here is how to get some of the best deals ahead of December 25 . . . 

MAKE A LIST: If you note down what you expect to need for Christmas, you can spread the cost of spending and buy things when they are at the best price.

You can use price comparison sites such as idealo.co.uk to look at the price history of specific items, as well as setting up email alerts so that you know as soon as costs fall.

If you’re shopping specifically on Amazon, price-tracking sites bobalob.com and camelcamelcamel.com do a similar job.

DIARY DATES: Anyone planning to buy a tablet this year should take a look this Sunday, as prices average £604, down £43 from September, according to Idealo.

Laptops are typically best priced on December 19 at £1,267 after falling by around £90 from November.

For a capsule coffee machine head to the shops on November 17 when the lowest average price comes in at £135 — £30 less than average prices in October.

Wait to the last minute for trainers, as the cheapest price is on December 24 when you will save around £5 compared with November.

SHOPPING EVENTS: It is also worth keeping an eye on prices on Black Friday, which this year falls on November 29, as some retailers offer special discounts at this time.

Make sure you sign up to marketing emails of your favourite stores to get exclusive offers or discounts that you can use towards shopping.

Sometimes you can also get money off products by popping it in your shopping basket online and not checking out.

Some retailers will then email with a discount on the item to help get the purchase over the line.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

Deal of the day

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TRACK your exercise and get social notifications with the Fitbit Versa 4 smart watch, down from £179 to £143.20 at Argos with code RED20.

SAVE: £35.80

Cheap treat

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SERVE up a frightfully delicious breakfast with these pumpkin crumpets, £1.25, from Asda.

What’s new?

GREGGS Katsu chicken bakes are now available both in-store and online £4, at Iceland but pasty lovers will have to be quick as the flavour is only available for a limited time.

Top swap

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JELLYCAT fans can bag a hot chocolate version, £28, from John Lewis. Or try Hobbycraft’s similar plush toys for £5 each.

SAVE: £23

Little helper

GET a free coffee at Nero, Gails’ and, Joe and the Juice through Deliveroo until Sunday when spending £20.

Shop & save

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DRESS this sleeveless shirt up or down depending on your mood. It’s down from £32 to £12 at River Island.

SAVE: £20

Hot right now

IN need of a new book? Topcashback is currently offering four per cent back on purchases at Waterstones.

PLAY NOW TO WIN £200

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JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle.

Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered.

Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.

The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!

A MAJOR supermarket’s own-brand Irish cream has pipped Baileys to top spot in a blind taste test.

Consumer website Which? asked a group of Irish cream fans to rate their favourite tipple out of a list of six in the run up to Christmas.

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And they gave Sainsbury’s 70cl boozy bottle, priced at £13, a 74% rating overall, beating Baileys to the number one spot.

Shoppers highlighted the products’ well-balanced sweet, boozy flavour and creamy mouthfeel.

Meanwhile, the 70cl bottle of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur, priced at £16.50, received a 73% overall rating.

The branded version scored high marks across the board, with most tasters praising its sweetness, creaminess and strength of alcohol.

M&S’ Irish Cream Liqueur (£10 for 70cl) scored a 72% overall rating, with Lidl coming in fourth with 71%.

Meanwhile, shoppers said Lidl’s Deluxe Irish Cream Liqueur, priced at £7.99 for a 70cl boozy bottle and the joint cheapest out of all six bottles, had a decent flavour and mouthfeel.

Aldi’s 70cl bottle was the other joint cheapest on the taste test, priced at £7.99.

However, it scored second lowest in the blind taste test, with panellists deeming it lacked flavour and aroma.

Morrisons‘ 1litre The Best Irish Cream Liqueur, priced at £16, scored the lowest out of all six bottles tasted by the panellists.

They found it had a good mouthfeel but the appearance, aroma and flavour were rated worse than the others in the line up.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “Irish cream liqueur is a much-loved staple, and in the lead up to the festive season some shoppers will already be thinking about how they can get hold of a great-tasting option at a reasonable price.

“In our taste tests, Sainsbury’s was our panel’s top choice and was awarded a Best Buy.

“The bottle costs £3.50 less than Baileys and is a great budget-friendly alternative.”

It’s worth bearing in mind, the prices Which? found for the six bottles are correct as of October 15.

That means you might have to pay more or less when you come to buying one.

If you’re not fussed on flavour and are more worried about cutting costs, use a price comparison site to find the best deal.

Trolley lets you compare prices on thousands of products across the major supermarkets and filter results from the least to most expensive.

Bear in mind it doesn’t include prices from some retailers though, like Home Bargains and Lidl.

You can also have a quick scan of the internet with the Google Shopping/Product tab to see which retailer has the cheapest price on a specific product too.

In other taste test news, The Sun tried supermarket tinned pastas with a £1 can winning top spot.

Plus, reporter Joe Hadden tried the new tinned Heinz carbonara that can be cooked in two minutes.