Witch chocolate consumption on the increase, what better way to celebrate National Chocolate Week than to round up which nations are the biggest consumers of chocolate?
Chocolate Week is the UK's biggest chocolate celebration and is happening from the 13th – 19th October. From restaurants creating chocolate inspired menus to The Chocolate Show in London, we'll be bringing you all things chocolate
According to recent research, compiled by Forbes, the country that consumes the most chocolate annually is Switzerland. The list is dominated by countries with a high proportion of middle-class people, and therefore a disposable income to spend on luxury items, with Russia at 12th the only BRIC country. Separate data from the International Cocoa Association asserted that Europe is responsible for nearly 50% of the world’s total chocolate consumption.
1. Switzerland
The Swiss consume an average of 8.8 kg chocolate per capita annually. Home to huge global chocolate brands such as Lindt and Nestle, the Swiss have become renowned for their chocolate and export vast amounts of the product globally. In 2016, Switzerland exported $802.2m of chocolate globally, to countries including Germany, the UK and Belgium. The country’s preference when it comes to the sweet treat is high cocoa content with a growing demand for Fairtrade, organic and premium tablets. Switzerland’s reputation for quality chocolate follows a long history of development, with the first chocolate factory founded in the country in 1867 and the subsequent creation of milk chocolate by Daniel Peter. Four years later, Rodolphe Lindt opened his own chocolate factory and developed the “conching” technique, a process that produced melting chocolate for the first time. Since then, the country’s chocolate production has further shaped its. impeccable standing in the chocolate industry.
2. Austria
Consuming 8.1kg of chocolate per capita each year, Austrians are second in the list. The 
Austrians favour filled chocolate and plain milk chocolate tablets, with increasing focus on the quality of ingredients that go into the chocolate, consumed there. This is shown through the success of Zotter Chocolate Factory, in Styria, Austria. Specialising in Fairtrade and organic chocolate, Zotter produces chocolate from the bean – referred to as a bean-to-bar manufacturer. The environmentally-conscious business has seen immense rewards for their efforts, with an estimated turnover of 17 million.
3. Germany/Ireland
In joint third place with an average of 7.9 kg per capita, every year are Germany and Ireland which is Britain’s largest export of chocolate, indicating that the popularity of chocolate shows no sign of slowing down in Ireland. Most popular in the country are plain milk and filled, with nuts and/or dried fruit, chocolate tablets, but the country has seen a significant rise in the popularity of dark chocolate in recent years, reflective of an increased interest in the health benefits that dark chocolate offers.
5. Great Britain
Great Britain places fifth on the list, with a per capita consumption of 7.6kg yearly. Most popular in the country is plain milk chocolate, with the omnipotent Cadbury’s Dairy Milk continuing to reign supreme across the nation. The chocolate bar racked up £483.1m in sales between September 2012 and September 2013, with the next competitor, Mars’ Confectionary’s Galaxy, trailing with £223.8m. Rounding out the top five biggest chocolate bars in the country were Kit-Kat, Maltesers and the Mars bar. The UK has a long history with chocolate, dating back to 1847 and Bristol company Fry & Son’s introduction of the chocolate bar. Before this, cocoa had a presence in Great Britain, but only in liquid form. Cadbury was launched in 1897, and the first Dairy Milk bars came in 1905. Ever since, the UK has been one of the biggest consumers of chocolate, happily devouring Dairy Milks for over a century.
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