Brits cross over to the dark side (of chocolate)

Once the poor relation, left on the sweet shop shelf, dark chocolate is biting back as Britain buys into its new healthier image. In fact, latest research from MINTEL shows that sales here almost doubled (96%) between 2005 and 2007, with sales hitting £85 million last year. ” although dark chocolate is still high in sugar, it is rich in antioxidants and is lower in fat than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate now has the reputation as being a healthier alternative to other chocolate and this has really struck a chord with Britain’s chocoholics,” comments Mathilde Dudouit, senior market analyst at MINTEL.