Tony's Chocolonely delivers stark new message on perceived inequality in chocolate industry

The chocolate-making impact company is continuing its crusade to create a fairer chocolate industry, by introducing minimalist wrappers that strips back the usual Tony’s rainbow colours and put the words EQUALITY, HUMAN & JUSTICE in the spotlight.

According to a company spokesperson, the wrappers put three important topics front and centre, asking ‘What does equality/human/justice mean to you?’, encouraging customers to think about these issues, have conversations about them and use the white space as a blank canvas to share their voice.

“Our Conversation Bars and the accompanying campaign is designed to facilitate constructive conversations between people on all sides​,” said Jo Lane, Chief Marketing Officer at Tony’s Chocolonely.

“By increasing empathy and understanding around these three important issues, on a societal level and in the context of the chocolate industry, we hope to drive more support for our mission to eradicate modern slavery and illegal child labour. Because it’s only together that we can make all chocolate 100% slave free​.”

Change in attitudes

Tony’s said research shows that contact and dialogue with people outside your bubble increases empathy, which leads to a change in attitudes and behaviour.

The Dutch disruptor brand believes empathy is a starting point to creating a fairer world – and a fairer chocolate industry, “Change can therefore begin with conversation,” it said.

And change is needed: inequalities, injustice and inhuman behaviours exist in the cocoa supply chain and beyond.

In the industry, big chocolate companies profit from keeping the cocoa purchasing price as low as

Available exclusively in the UK at Waitrose and Partners (and online at tonyschocolonely.com), the three  limited-edition Conversation Bars flavours are:

• equality – milk chocolate caramel almond nougat pretzel sea salt (our crunchiest bar ever)
• human – dark chocolate lemony caramel cocoa biscuit (a new vegan-friendly bar)
• justice – white chocolate raspberry biscuit sprinkles  (a much-requested new white bar)

A Waitrose spokesperson said: “Tony's not only make stand-out delicious chocolate bars, they are shining a spotlight on the inequalities across the cocoa industry and ensuring their ingredients are sourced ethically - giving our customers a great tasting product and peace of mind, too. As the first UK supermarket to stock Tony's, we have always believed in the quality and values of this brand and we're ecstatic to have three exclusive bars of our own that we know our customers will absolutely adore​.”