The French newspaper "Le Monde" has revealed a striking economic paradox, as chocolate prices continue to rise in the markets despite a sharp drop in global cocoa prices, placing consumers and farmers at a disadvantage and raising questions about the pricing mechanisms in this industry. The newspaper explained that chocolate prices in France have increased by 15.7% between April 2024 and April 2025, and are expected to record a new increase of about 4% in April 2026, according to a study by the French Consumer Protection Association. It added that products of major brands have seen significant increases, with "Ferrero Rocher" chocolate recording the largest increase of about 10%, followed by "Kinder" at 7%, while "Milka" and "Lindt" prices rose by about 7% to 8%, and "Nestlé" by about 4%. Britain faces organized chocolate theft Global decline Despite these increases, "Le Monde" points out that global cocoa bean prices have seen a sharp decline, having dropped to about a third ...