MP launches campaign to make Freddo bars 5p again

A campaign most of us can get behind!

MP for Southport, Patrick Hurley has set up a petition after speaking to students at a school in his constituency.

He announced the move on social media saying: “20 pence for a Freddo is too much, especially in a cost of living crisis”.

The chocolate bar made by Cadbury’s was originally launched in 1973 before it was relaunched in 1994 when it cost 10p.

It stayed at that price for over a decade, not rising with inflation as most other products did.

Since the mid-2000s the price started to rise slowly and now stands at 30p.

The 10p Freddo gained a nostalgic status with each price increase greeted with tongue-in-cheek outrage.

Now Hurley wants to travel back in time to the days where Freddo was the most affordable snack and win over some of his youngest constituents.

Hurley told the BBC he was inspired to launch his campaign after speaking to students at a local school in his constituency.

He said: "The girls were very clued-up about political issues, including assisted dying and the Middle East."

However, he said that one of the students asked if he could launch a petition to cut Freddo bars to 5p and though he doubts it will work, he did not want to disappoint the youngster.

He said it was a "lovely, little whimsical, light-hearted thing we can do" to engage young people in politics.

He continued: "If you start talking about gas bills, the average 14-year-old might switch off, but if you talk about the price of chocolate bars..."

He admitted that since launching the campaign he had learnt more about Freddos than he should have.

A spokesperson from Mondelez International, the company which owns Cadbury, said: "It's fantastic to hear about young people engaging in politics.

"It’s also important to note that as a manufacturer we do not set the retail prices for products sold in shops.

"However, what we can say is that since Freddo launched in 1973, our manufacturing costs have increased significantly and cocoa prices are at a record high, all of which need to be taken into consideration."

Social image credit: Cadbury Freddo by Hazel Nicholson/Flickr