0:00:02 > 0:00:05There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12You think you're getting a bargain and you're not really.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15They're just encouraging you to buy more of a product
0:00:15 > 0:00:17when you don't need to.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Whether you're staying in or going out, you've told us that you can
0:00:20 > 0:00:22feel ripped off by the promises made
0:00:22 > 0:00:25by what you eat and what you pay for it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28What really winds me up is the price of so-called healthy food,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30compared with the unhealthy stuff.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32The unhealthy stuff seems to be so much cheaper.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37From claims that don't stack up to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food
0:00:40 > 0:00:44so you can be sure you're getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49Your food, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Hello and thank you very much for joining us
0:00:53 > 0:00:56once again on Rip-Off Britain, where every day this week we're
0:00:56 > 0:00:59revealing the secrets of your shopping basket.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02getting to the bottom of more of the food stories you've asked us
0:01:02 > 0:01:03to investigate.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Today we'll be discovering some pretty surprising things,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10about what goes into what we eat and what we get out of it.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13For instance, we'll be exposing which food that's found its way
0:01:13 > 0:01:18onto the shelves of some of our shops really shouldn't be there.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21As well as discovering why a much maligned old faithful could be
0:01:21 > 0:01:25every bit as good for you as its more expensive rivals.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26And bad news coming up
0:01:26 > 0:01:30if you're one of the millions of Britons who are chocolate lovers.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32As, I have to say, are we three.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35You may well have noticed over the last few years that some
0:01:35 > 0:01:38of your favourite treats appear to have been shrinking.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40But you may not know why or indeed what it means
0:01:40 > 0:01:42for the chocolate of the future.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Well, we've had some of that futuristic chocolate made up and
0:01:46 > 0:01:49we'll be putting it to the test as we find out some of the hidden
0:01:49 > 0:01:51truths behind our favourite foods.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Coming up - it's lower in price,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57but is concentrated orange juice also
0:01:57 > 0:01:59less healthy than its more expensive rivals?
0:01:59 > 0:02:04One of you wrote in asking just that so we've done a test to find out.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Well, I tend to avoid the concentrate
0:02:06 > 0:02:10because I wonder what's been added and what's been taken away.
0:02:10 > 0:02:16Why do they use concentrate and is it any better or worse?
0:02:17 > 0:02:21And candy treats with dazzling colours and dangerously high
0:02:21 > 0:02:22levels of E colours.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24They may be a hit with the kids
0:02:24 > 0:02:28but how come illegal sweets are being sold on British high street?
0:02:28 > 0:02:31It shouldn't be coming in with those labelling deficiencies.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34The problem we have is that if they've got the labelling wrong,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36have they got something else wrong as well?
0:02:40 > 0:02:41Now, how do you start the day?
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Lots of us can't get going until we've had our orange juice.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47But which orange juice is better for you?
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Is it the cheaper concentrated kind or the more natural-sounding,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54less-processed version which can cost a fair bit more?
0:02:54 > 0:02:58I guess a lot of us would think that the pricier juice would be tastier
0:02:58 > 0:02:59and healthier too.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03But when we put that theory to the test, what we discovered was quite a
0:03:03 > 0:03:08surprise and one that, over time, could save you an awful lot of money.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Concentrated orange juice has been on our breakfast tables since the 1940s.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Its popularity started to fade when not-from-concentrate
0:03:17 > 0:03:20orange juices came on the market 20 years later.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23It still makes up the biggest chunk of the billion litres
0:03:23 > 0:03:26of orange juice consumed in the UK every year.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31But we found quite a few people who said concentrate wasn't
0:03:31 > 0:03:32the juice they preferred.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I usually tend to buy the one with juicy bits.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Personally I prefer non-concentrate.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Well, I think it's vitamins.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41- I think it tastes nicer.- Yeah.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44- So it's a taste thing?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49As we've just seen, chilled not-from-concentrate juice is seen
0:03:49 > 0:03:53by some people as a cut above the cheaper stuff in long-life cartons.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57The packaging is a little smarter and the labels often proudly say
0:03:57 > 0:03:59things like 100% squeezed fruit,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02pure premium or never ever from concentrate.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06So you'd be forgiven for thinking that juice is not only tastier,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08but better for you too.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11And of course, there's something else that makes them stand out...
0:04:11 > 0:04:13There's a real difference in price.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17Juice made not-from-concentrate can cost twice as much as juice
0:04:17 > 0:04:19from concentrate.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Rip-Off Britain viewer Brian Coote is among those who haven't minded
0:04:23 > 0:04:27paying a bit more for their juice because they like the taste better.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Even so, Brian couldn't help wondering
0:04:30 > 0:04:33if the extra cost also equalled extra goodness.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36So, after being struck by the extraordinary range of juices
0:04:36 > 0:04:38now available, he wrote to us.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42There were so many different ones on the shelf, there was
0:04:42 > 0:04:47fresh squeezed, pure orange juice, orange juice from concentrate,
0:04:47 > 0:04:48orange juice drink,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and frankly they were confusing me
0:04:51 > 0:04:54and I hadn't the faintest idea what was the best for me.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Brian doesn't generally buy the old faithful made-from-concentrate,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02but he's wondering if he should reconsider as it would cost him
0:05:02 > 0:05:05so much less than some of the other juices on the market.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08I tend to avoid the concentrate
0:05:08 > 0:05:11because I wonder what's been added,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13what's been taken away,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18why do they use concentrate and is it any better or worse?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21The ones that claim to be fresh squeezed juice,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23you look at the sell-by date,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25you might only have a couple of days on it.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29You look at the from-concentrate and you could have two weeks on it.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32That makes a big difference to me as a pensioner.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35So how are the different kinds of juice made?
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Home economist Gillian Marchak is going to take us through the basics
0:05:38 > 0:05:42of the three types of juice on sale, kicking off with the obvious.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46I'm going to start off with freshly squeezed.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47Squeezing out all the juice.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51'Freshly squeezed only lasts a few days, but it doesn't take much
0:05:51 > 0:05:55'to turn it into the type of juice sold as not-from-concentrate.'
0:05:55 > 0:05:58I've chilled the juice down so it's about two degrees.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Then I need to heat it up to 98 degrees Celsius,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06in other words I'm going to pasteurise the orange juice.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08'It's called flash pasteurisation.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11'The juice heated just short of boiling point to kill the bacteria
0:06:11 > 0:06:14'and as a result it can last up to three months.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'Concentrate orange juice is heated for a lot longer
0:06:17 > 0:06:19'so it lasts longer too.'
0:06:19 > 0:06:22It boils until it becomes quite a sticky syrup,
0:06:22 > 0:06:26looking a little bit like this.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30The concentrated orange juice for easy transportation
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and then all you need to do to make it back into orange juice is
0:06:33 > 0:06:35to replace the water.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38But Brian wants to know what any of these processes might do
0:06:38 > 0:06:42for the goodness inside and whether the cheaper concentrated
0:06:42 > 0:06:44juice has less of the vital nutrients
0:06:44 > 0:06:46that any sort of orange juice contains.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50To help him find out, Brian has come to
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Manchester Metropolitan University
0:06:52 > 0:06:55to meet nutritional scientist, Haleh Moravej.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57- Hi, Brian, how are you?- I'm fine...
0:06:57 > 0:07:00We asked Haleh and her team to compare samples of the three
0:07:00 > 0:07:04main types of orange juice to see how the way they're made might affect
0:07:04 > 0:07:06the nutrients inside.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08We've got the freshly squeezed orange juice,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12one from concentrate and one not-from-concentrate.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16We tested the samples for vitamin C content,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20antioxidants and also the sugar content.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24First Haleh tested for vitamin C, probably the vitamin
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and most associated with oranges.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Vitamin C is extremely important,
0:07:30 > 0:07:3490% of vitamin C comes from fruit and vegetables.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Vitamin C is important for the immune system, it's great
0:07:37 > 0:07:41for the connective tissue and prevents something called scurvy.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44What sort of results did you actually get?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47We found that in the freshly squeezed orange juice,
0:07:47 > 0:07:52per 100 milligrams, it was 45 milligrams of vitamin C.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56For the concentrate one, it was 32 milligrams
0:07:56 > 0:08:00and for not-from-concentrate it was 27 milligrams per hundred.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05There's little wonder that the juice squeezed just before the test
0:08:05 > 0:08:08scored highest, but Brian is surprised that the concentrated
0:08:08 > 0:08:12juice has more vitamin C than the pricier not-from-concentrate.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16The results are a little bit interesting, but I'm very
0:08:16 > 0:08:19disappointed about what was supposed
0:08:19 > 0:08:21to be an expensive and premium product.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Next up, antioxidants.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25They're found in fruit and vegetables
0:08:25 > 0:08:30and help stop the body's healthy cells from deteriorating.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Looking at the antioxidants activity of the samples,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37you'd expect the fresh one to have the highest, but it was actually
0:08:37 > 0:08:41not-from-concentrate that had the highest level of antioxidant.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47The final test was for sugar. None of the drinks included any added sugar.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51So Haleh's testing for the levels that naturally occur in the oranges.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55This is 200mls of freshly squeezed orange cheese.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59It contains 15 grams of sugar
0:08:59 > 0:09:01per 200mls.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04The next one from concentrate
0:09:04 > 0:09:06is 16.8 grams of sugar.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10The least healthy one with sugar
0:09:10 > 0:09:13is 17.2 grams of sugar
0:09:13 > 0:09:15for the not-from-concentrate.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20So in our test, the premium not-from-concentrate orange juice
0:09:20 > 0:09:24contains more naturally occurring sugars than either of the other two.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29It also shows slightly less vitamin C but a higher antioxidant count.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30None of this is a problem.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33But if you're paying extra because you think it's healthier,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36well, it doesn't seem that's necessarily the case.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43When you put it all together, it seems there's not much between them
0:09:43 > 0:09:47when you look at the antioxidants and the sugar content
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and the vitamin C content.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53So it comes down to personal choice.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Now, we only tested one brand of each different type of juice
0:09:57 > 0:10:01and the results in others may vary, but with the average carton
0:10:01 > 0:10:04of concentrate juice costing £1 or more or less than its
0:10:04 > 0:10:06not-from-concentrate rivals,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09it seems that by going for the cheaper option, you could save
0:10:09 > 0:10:14yourself a fair bit of money without compromising on the nutrients.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19We put our findings to the makers of two of the best known
0:10:19 > 0:10:22not-from-concentrate brands of juice,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25both of whom stress they regularly test their products
0:10:25 > 0:10:26against others on the market,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30adding that they have independent scientific evidence which
0:10:30 > 0:10:34shows you get a wealth of beneficial vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
0:10:34 > 0:10:35from their drinks.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And of course there's still one all-important factor which
0:10:40 > 0:10:44just might make it worth shelling out more for a premium juice.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45That's the taste.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Let's put it to the test.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50I'm in Bury Market in Greater Manchester, where people really
0:10:50 > 0:10:52know a thing or two about food.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Their black pudding is famous all over these parts.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58I want to find out if people can tell the difference between juice
0:10:58 > 0:11:01made from concentrate and non-concentrate.
0:11:01 > 0:11:02And...which they prefer.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07I'd like you to drink one from each row and tell me what you think.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- Which do you prefer?- That one. - You prefer that one?- Yes.
0:11:11 > 0:11:12That's the concentrated one.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13That's the expensive one.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Well done. You've passed the test. You're a canny shopper.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20What was it about the difference between two of them?
0:11:20 > 0:11:22If I'm honest, that had the smoother taste.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26The shoppers in Bury didn't have a clear preference,
0:11:26 > 0:11:27and liked both kinds of juice.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31So again, if you've ever ruled out the cheaper concentrated kind
0:11:31 > 0:11:33because you think it won't be as good, perhaps it's worth
0:11:33 > 0:11:37giving it another go and saving yourself some cash into the bargain.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41That's definitely what Brian is planning to do from now on.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44I would tend to buy the one from concentrate,
0:11:44 > 0:11:45mainly because of price.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48That's going to change in my basic opinion now
0:11:48 > 0:11:52since we've seen these good results.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Very good results.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Now take a trip to the shops with children
0:12:01 > 0:12:03and amongst all the sweets on display,
0:12:03 > 0:12:08there's a sometimes dazzling array of sugary goodies to catch the eye.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Personally I've never been against a sweet treat every now and again.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15But the multicoloured ones aren't usually the first I'd buy.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Indeed, the ingredients that creates some of those bright, bright
0:12:18 > 0:12:21colourings have long been a source of controversy,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25so much so that manufacturers have to put warnings on the packets
0:12:25 > 0:12:27if particular colourings are used.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30But it seems there are some sweets creeping onto the
0:12:30 > 0:12:33British shelves that aren't sticking to the rules.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38# Red and yellow and pink and green... #
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Bright coloured sweets can be the currency of many playgrounds up
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and down the country, but although the kids might like them,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46their parents, on the other hand, may be less keen to see
0:12:46 > 0:12:50their children munching on some of these lovely colourful sweets.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Is there anything in there that you would, as a treat,
0:12:53 > 0:12:54give to your child?
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Um...
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Possibly only the chocolate. But it would be a very special treat.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02No chance.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07So out of this mixture, what would you give your child as a treat?
0:13:07 > 0:13:10- To be honest, none of it. - None of it, OK.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14And reactions like that tend to be for one simple reason...
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- The E numbers. - Quite a lot of E numbers.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23There's a huge amount of E numbers, there's a lot of words that
0:13:23 > 0:13:27I don't really understand, so that's not sounding brilliant.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32The colourings and preservatives which include E numbers that
0:13:32 > 0:13:35go into some of the foods aimed at children can cause real
0:13:35 > 0:13:38headaches for parents.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Now, all these particular products are absolutely fine
0:13:41 > 0:13:43according to the law, but some parents worry about
0:13:43 > 0:13:46whether their children's more hyperactive moments could be
0:13:46 > 0:13:50caused by the ingredients that gives some sweets their vibrant colour.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Colourings are certainly high on the hit list for John Griffin
0:13:53 > 0:13:57and his team, who work in one of the ten UK local authority labs,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01inspecting food to make sure that they are safe to eat.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Now, John, how long have you been aware of the effect
0:14:03 > 0:14:05of colourings, particularly in children?
0:14:05 > 0:14:10There was research done in late 2000 as to the effects of colours
0:14:10 > 0:14:13on activity and attention in children.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16These six particular colours were identified as having
0:14:16 > 0:14:20an effect on those particular aspects of children.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Those six colourings,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26nicknamed the Southampton Six after the university that carried out the
0:14:26 > 0:14:30study, were found to have a direct impact on behaviour in children.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31Just take me through them.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34There are six here. They're all sort of reds and yellows.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36You've got quite a dark red colour,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38this is called Ponceau 4R.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40This particular colour is a slightly
0:14:40 > 0:14:43lighter red and it's called Sunset Yellow, nice name.
0:14:43 > 0:14:44And this one?
0:14:44 > 0:14:48This is Allura Red, so again another one of the Southampton Six.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49Slightly darker red in colour
0:14:49 > 0:14:52but quite commonly used in a lot of products.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54The Southampton study even claimed that the effect
0:14:54 > 0:14:59additives in colours like these can have on a child's behaviour is so
0:14:59 > 0:15:01dramatic that banning them could
0:15:01 > 0:15:04lead to a 30% reduction in ADHD in children.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08The report made headlines and led to many of Britain's supermarkets
0:15:08 > 0:15:09and big-name manufacturers
0:15:09 > 0:15:12voluntarily taking them out of their sweets entirely
0:15:12 > 0:15:15and replacing them with alternative colourings.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19But in America, where a fair amount of our confectionery comes from,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23the Southampton Six are still routinely being used in sweets,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25so products with these colourings are often sold
0:15:25 > 0:15:27on the high streets in the UK
0:15:27 > 0:15:29and it's easy for John to demonstrate
0:15:29 > 0:15:32just how vivid these controversial ingredients are.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Of those four artificial colours,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38one, two, three are actually the six Southampton colours.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Wow. And that's only a very small bowl.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43- Well, I'm not going to eat them, are you?- No.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48By law, any sweets that contain the Southampton Six colourings
0:15:48 > 0:15:51can only do so at legally controlled levels
0:15:51 > 0:15:54and they must carry a warning label on their wrappers,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58explicitly stating that these colours may have an adverse effect
0:15:58 > 0:16:00on activity and attention in children.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02But in America, the rules are different.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04No warning is required.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09So to comply with UK rules, any American sweets sold over here
0:16:09 > 0:16:12need to have a warning sticker added to their packaging.
0:16:12 > 0:16:13The products we showed John -
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and, indeed, to the parents at the school gates -
0:16:16 > 0:16:17do have that warning.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19But can parents always spot it?
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Do you see a warning on that whatsoever?
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Warning...
0:16:25 > 0:16:27I don't see the warning. Where's the warning?
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Well...I can't see anything.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35Oh, yes - it does say...
0:16:35 > 0:16:39SHE READS OUT WARNING
0:16:40 > 0:16:42So you might think that this is all just fine.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45The warning makes it clear that while these products
0:16:45 > 0:16:48do contain at least one of these six colourings,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51it's going to be at what the EU says is an acceptable level,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53so you can make an informed choice
0:16:53 > 0:16:55on whether you want to buy them or not.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57But I'm afraid it's not always as simple as that,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00because not all the sweets imported from America
0:17:00 > 0:17:04and finding their way onto our high streets stick to the rules.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Here's the point - they may be legal over there,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09but here, with no warning on the labels,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11and potentially higher levels of artificial colouring
0:17:11 > 0:17:13than we would allow here,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15technically, they shouldn't be on sale in this country.
0:17:15 > 0:17:16So why are they?
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Rachel Wilcock is a training standards officer in Lancashire
0:17:24 > 0:17:26who specialises in food safety.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29We were becoming aware that there was a flood of these sorts of products
0:17:29 > 0:17:31coming onto the market.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34We'd noticed lots of little stalls popping up around town centres
0:17:34 > 0:17:38and also products being sold on Facebook and eBay
0:17:38 > 0:17:40and other internet sites.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43So Rachel and her team set out to investigate
0:17:43 > 0:17:47how many other imported sweets might be on sale across Lancashire
0:17:47 > 0:17:49without those crucial warnings
0:17:49 > 0:17:52about how the colourings can affect behaviour.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55We looked at 24 products from across Lancashire.
0:17:55 > 0:17:5717 of them were found to have incorrect labels.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00This could have been either just a general incorrect labelling format
0:18:00 > 0:18:04or that there was...the warning missing,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06relating to the Southampton Six colours.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Without a warning, you might not realise
0:18:09 > 0:18:13the significance of the colours listed in the ingredients list,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16especially as in America, some of them have different names.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And that wasn't even the worst of it.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Five of the products were found to contain higher levels of colour
0:18:22 > 0:18:24than were permitted by the European Union.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27With the evidence suggesting that high levels could be linked
0:18:27 > 0:18:31to an effect on behaviour, Trading Standards swung into action,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34because - whether the individual sweets would be a problem or not -
0:18:34 > 0:18:39without that crucial warning, even selling them is illegal.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Now what we'll do is contact the businesses
0:18:41 > 0:18:42who have sold these products.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46We'll also chase the products up the chain to the importers
0:18:46 > 0:18:49and, for the products that have got high levels of food colour,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52we'll speak to the Food Standards Agency
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and look to start getting these products out of the market.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59But that could be a bigger job than they think because,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02as one of our researchers discovered on a quick trip
0:19:02 > 0:19:06to two sweet shops in Manchester, the kind found in many town centres,
0:19:06 > 0:19:11imported products without the right labelling are all too easy to find.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13So I've got about 12 products with me
0:19:13 > 0:19:15and there's nothing that has any warning labels
0:19:15 > 0:19:19or anything that says "may have adverse effects on children".
0:19:21 > 0:19:25We asked John Griffin to cast his expert eye over we had bought.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28If I just take a quick look at the label...
0:19:28 > 0:19:30You can usually tell straightaway whether it's complying.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34This particular one doesn't look as if it is at all.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36I'm just looking at the bottom, in terms of artificial colours,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38and it gives its name as "red 40" -
0:19:38 > 0:19:41that's not a colour that we would identify with over here.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Red 40 is just another name for Allura Red,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47one of the Southampton Six colours.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50It shouldn't be coming in with those labelling deficiencies.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53It really should be relabelled for the European market.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57The problem we always have is that if they've got the labelling wrong,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59have they got something else wrong as well?
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Now, it isn't the fault of the American manufacturers
0:20:02 > 0:20:05if their products have been imported and sold in the UK
0:20:05 > 0:20:08by a third party without their knowledge or permission,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12which is what all the big companies we contacted told us was the case
0:20:12 > 0:20:15with the ones that didn't have the right labelling.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18They went on to stress that their products are made to suit
0:20:18 > 0:20:21the tastes and legal requirements of each individual market,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25with some reiterating that the sweets made and authorised
0:20:25 > 0:20:28for sale only in America should not have found their way here
0:20:28 > 0:20:29in the first place.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32But in any case, the companies made it clear
0:20:32 > 0:20:34that wherever a product is sold,
0:20:34 > 0:20:38it will always have met their own quality and safety requirements.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Meanwhile, it seems that unwrapping the truth of what's in all those
0:20:43 > 0:20:47brightly coloured imported sweets is more tricky than it should be.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Rachel from Trading Standards has some final words of advice.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55I would always suggest buying products from a reputable source,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59a reputable business, and perhaps avoid purchasing things like this
0:20:59 > 0:21:04from the smaller internet businesses, auction sites, things like that,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08because we don't always know where those products are coming from.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Still to come on Rip-Off Britain -
0:21:16 > 0:21:18would you know which of these everyday treats
0:21:18 > 0:21:20packs in the most calories?
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Custard and chocolate? Custard and chocolate, that.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- Are you saying that's the most? - Yeah.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- Wine's fattening.- So is beer.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32And chocolate lovers, look away - are we heading for a future
0:21:32 > 0:21:35where our favourite treat as we now know it
0:21:35 > 0:21:36has become a thing of the past?
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It's not bad, but it's not real chocolate, is it?
0:21:39 > 0:21:41It's not real chocolate, no.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46You know, there's no denying that an awful lot of Brits
0:21:46 > 0:21:50do like a drink or two, even perhaps just occasionally.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53And while you may well consider how many units of alcohol
0:21:53 > 0:21:55there are in your favourite tipple,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58chances are you don't give the same thought
0:21:58 > 0:22:00to how many calories it might have.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02But maybe you should,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06because if you realised that your large glass of wine contains
0:22:06 > 0:22:09the same number of calories as a bar of chocolate,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13or that a pint of lager has the same as a slice of pizza,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16you might just think twice about reaching for another.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22This bunch of fierce competitors
0:22:22 > 0:22:25are the Blackbirds netball team from southwest London.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29They like to work hard and play hard,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32both on and off the court.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Netball's a great way to keep fit.
0:22:34 > 0:22:35Let's use it!
0:22:35 > 0:22:40We play in the top division so, you know, it's really competitive
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and we definitely always want to win.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46But the women all agree that it's the social aspect of the game
0:22:46 > 0:22:48that they look forward to as much as the netball itself
0:22:48 > 0:22:52and that usually involves one or two drinks afterwards.
0:22:52 > 0:22:58Netball, to me, is a great way to be social and fit at the same time.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Play hard on the netball court, make sure we win.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Either way, come to the pub afterwards,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06have a drink with your team-mates.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09So after a hard training session,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13the team likes to unwind with the odd pint of beer or glass of wine
0:23:13 > 0:23:16at their local pub here in Fulham.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18And as last week's Player Of The Match,
0:23:18 > 0:23:19Nicky gets a free drink.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22- You're so bad!- I'm terrible!
0:23:22 > 0:23:24But like most of us,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27while the girls think about how many units of alcohol
0:23:27 > 0:23:30they might drink on a typical night out, they don't give any thought
0:23:30 > 0:23:34to how many calories they may be consuming at the same time.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Calories in this pint? Absolutely no idea.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I've never heard anyone mentioning a calorie count
0:23:40 > 0:23:42when it comes to alcohol.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44I've never heard anyone say, "I'm going to have this,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46"because I'm watching my weight."
0:23:48 > 0:23:49But with obesity on the rise,
0:23:49 > 0:23:53many experts suggest that alcohol is fuelling the problem
0:23:53 > 0:23:57and while we all know that too much ale can lead to a beer belly,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00we may not always realise that other drinks
0:24:00 > 0:24:01can have the same effect, too.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04So to give our netballers a better understanding of exactly
0:24:04 > 0:24:07how many calories they are taking on board in their booze,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10each of the team has agreed to keep a diary for the next week,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13detailing all the alcohol they drink
0:24:13 > 0:24:14and once the seven days are up,
0:24:14 > 0:24:19we'll calculate how many calories they've knocked back.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21I guess adding it up, it might be a shock.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25But while they get started on that,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28are they so unusual knowing so little about how many calories
0:24:28 > 0:24:30they're unwittingly drinking?
0:24:30 > 0:24:34We asked some punters in another pub to guess which of these four items
0:24:34 > 0:24:36is the most and the least calorific -
0:24:36 > 0:24:40a pint of lager, a small slice of chocolate cake,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42a large glass of white wine
0:24:42 > 0:24:44and a chocolate and custard doughnut.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46They're all convinced they know the answer,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49but only one of them will end up getting it totally right.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Well, that's quite high
0:24:51 > 0:24:52in calories, isn't it?
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Custard and chocolate.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Custard and chocolate, that.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Right. Well, that's first.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00No, no - that's first.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02- That's got sugar and chocolate on it. - Yeah, but so has that.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06- Are you saying that's the most? - Yeah.- No, that's the most.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- No, it's not. - It is, that's just cos you like it!
0:25:08 > 0:25:10THEY LAUGH
0:25:10 > 0:25:11I just think wine is better...
0:25:12 > 0:25:14..than lager.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17There's a lot more chocolate involved in that -
0:25:17 > 0:25:19white chocolate, brown chocolate -
0:25:19 > 0:25:22and I believe there's bits of chocolate in the middle, as well.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- I think the wine has probably got the least.- Least, yeah.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27- Wine's fattening.- So is beer.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30OK, I'll agree. We'll agree.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32The least calories is going to be...
0:25:34 > 0:25:35..that.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38The muffin. And the big daddy at the end.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Cos there's more fat women than fat blokes.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45Well, he might have called it a muffin, but he's no doughnut.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49And - ignoring that last comment - he has identified the right order.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52It's the large glass of white wine that has the most calories -
0:25:52 > 0:25:54on average, 185.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Next is the pint of lager and the chocolate cake,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59both of which have 180 calories.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02But - perhaps surprisingly - the least calorific
0:26:02 > 0:26:04is the chocolate and custard doughnut,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06which has 143 calories.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08No!
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Official figures show that 80% of people don't know
0:26:11 > 0:26:13how many calories there are in a pint of beer
0:26:13 > 0:26:16or a glass of wine, and dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton
0:26:16 > 0:26:20is concerned about what that means for the nation's waistline.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Alcohol's definitely contributing to obesity
0:26:23 > 0:26:26and at the moment, alcohol contributes
0:26:26 > 0:26:28about 6-7% of our daily calories
0:26:28 > 0:26:30so that's a substantial amount
0:26:30 > 0:26:34from a substance that's giving us enjoyment, of course,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36but isn't giving us any other nutrients.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39For men, the Department of Health recommends no more
0:26:39 > 0:26:41than 21 units of alcohol a week
0:26:41 > 0:26:44and for women, no more than 14.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49If I was to drink my recommended maximum, I would be consuming
0:26:49 > 0:26:52an extra 2,000-3,000 calories a week from alcohol
0:26:52 > 0:26:56and that represents more than a day's calorie level.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00So, I'm basically adding an extra day of calories on to my week
0:27:00 > 0:27:02and that's going to have a significant impact
0:27:02 > 0:27:04on my weight in the long term.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Most of the food products we buy do list the calorie content
0:27:08 > 0:27:11on the packaging, along with full details of how much fat,
0:27:11 > 0:27:13sugar and other things there might be.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17But alcoholic drinks are currently not recognised as food
0:27:17 > 0:27:18so, under existing European law,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21they've been exempt from that type of labelling,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23which is one reason why so many of us
0:27:23 > 0:27:26have no idea at all how many calories we're knocking back.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28I think we do have a funny relationship with alcohol,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31where we almost see that it doesn't count,
0:27:31 > 0:27:32it's not adding to calories,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34and that's because it's not labelled,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37we have a lack of awareness about how many calories
0:27:37 > 0:27:40are in alcoholic drinks, so they're always seen as extra.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44So when you go out for a slap-up meal, we don't say,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47"I'm going to miss out on dessert because I'm having a glass of wine."
0:27:47 > 0:27:50People will have the glass of wine or the pint of beer
0:27:50 > 0:27:53on top of what they're already planning to eat.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Some experts have argued that better unit and calorie labelling
0:27:58 > 0:28:01would reduce consumption by making drinkers more aware.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03But others - including Carrie -
0:28:03 > 0:28:06feel that it might not be the perfect solution.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09I'm really ambivalent about calorie labelling.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12My concern is what the unintended consequences are.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15You walk into a pub, you look at the calorie content
0:28:15 > 0:28:17of beer versus vodka, and you say,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19"My goodness - that beer is very high in calories.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21"I'm going to switch to vodka."
0:28:21 > 0:28:25The trouble is that a pint of beer, which contains two units of alcohol,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28is going to take you a fair amount of time to drink,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32whereas two units of vodka is going to be a very small drink
0:28:32 > 0:28:36which you could probably get down your neck a lot faster.
0:28:36 > 0:28:37Back in London, it's been six days
0:28:37 > 0:28:41since our netball team started keeping their alcohol diaries
0:28:41 > 0:28:45but whilst Nicky and Heidi can tell us how much they've drunk,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48they still don't know what that means in terms of calories.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51I have no idea what to expect
0:28:51 > 0:28:54but it would be interesting to see,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57because I know that I drank different alcohols.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Obviously, I do a lot of exercise, so...I guess what I don't know
0:29:01 > 0:29:05is whether that's going to outweigh what I'm drinking.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08In total, over just one week,
0:29:08 > 0:29:10our seven players have taken on
0:29:10 > 0:29:14a staggering 13,070 calories
0:29:14 > 0:29:15in booze alone.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17That's the equivalent to 58 doughnuts
0:29:17 > 0:29:19or up to 20 vindaloo curries.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22And to burn all of that off,
0:29:22 > 0:29:25they'd each need to play six-and-a-half netball matches.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Team captain Heidi is one of those leading the field
0:29:28 > 0:29:30off the pitch as well as on it -
0:29:30 > 0:29:32she sank almost 30 units of alcohol
0:29:32 > 0:29:35and more than 2,200 calories
0:29:35 > 0:29:36in booze.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38That's the equivalent of ten doughnuts.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41I was the top calorie consumer?
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Really?
0:29:43 > 0:29:46Not far behind is last week's Player Of The Match.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50Nicky drank 2,104 calories.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53I guess that's, like, the daily intake for a woman,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56so...yeah, one extra day.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58As if that wasn't enough food for thought,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00wait till they see how all those calories
0:30:00 > 0:30:02would stack up in doughnuts.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05Here's the team's weekly calorie count - 58 doughnuts.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09- 58 divided by seven...49...56... - That looks so fatty!
0:30:09 > 0:30:11NICKY LAUGHS
0:30:11 > 0:30:12That's like eight...
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Eight doughnuts a week.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Looking at it like that, it looks so gross.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22It's a bit of a shock, actually, looking at it in doughnut form.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28In addition to the thousands of extra calories they've taken on,
0:30:28 > 0:30:34the whole netball team consumed 183 units of alcohol, almost 26 each.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Nicky and Heidi had more than 57 units between them.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40I'd definitely be concerned,
0:30:40 > 0:30:44because not only are they exceeding the safe calorie levels,
0:30:44 > 0:30:46they should be looking at 14 units a week,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49they're getting more like 30 a week,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52which is far higher in terms of their health.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54So 2,000 calories a week extra
0:30:54 > 0:30:58and that is calories coming from a source that doesn't provide them
0:30:58 > 0:31:00with much else that's useful -
0:31:00 > 0:31:04hardly any carbohydrates, no protein, no vitamins, minerals...
0:31:04 > 0:31:06So it's empty calories, basically.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09They think they're doing a lot of good by going off to play netball -
0:31:09 > 0:31:11and they are, but then they're going to the pub afterwards
0:31:11 > 0:31:13and undoing all that good work.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17The Portman Group, which represents drink manufacturers,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19told us that it must
0:31:19 > 0:31:22"always be the alcohol content, not the calorie content"
0:31:22 > 0:31:27of a product that should primarily inform consumer decision-making.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30It says that drinks companies have an important role in providing
0:31:30 > 0:31:32information about sensible drinking
0:31:32 > 0:31:35and are always open to "further discussions"
0:31:35 > 0:31:37about how best to do this.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41But they added that as we live in the digital age, we should be
0:31:41 > 0:31:44"thinking innovatively about how people access information,
0:31:44 > 0:31:47"not just focusing on product labels",
0:31:47 > 0:31:49which are limited in size and space.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52As such, they recommend that anyone wanting to get calorie information
0:31:52 > 0:31:57about alcohol use tools such as the free Drinkaware app,
0:31:57 > 0:31:59which gives details on alcohol content
0:31:59 > 0:32:03and calories instantly, via your smartphone.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06And just last month, drinks giant Diageo,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09whose brands include Guinness and Smirnoff,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12announced that they intend to add calorie information
0:32:12 > 0:32:14on the labels of at least some of their brands.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17And while that's likely to be a long time off,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20now that our netball team knows the truth about the calories
0:32:20 > 0:32:24in their favourite tipples, I wonder will it make any difference
0:32:24 > 0:32:25at all to what they drink.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29It's definitely opened my eyes, this exercise.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31Just thinking about it has made a difference,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34so seeing it in black and white would definitely make a difference
0:32:34 > 0:32:38and would definitely...make me stop drinking more
0:32:38 > 0:32:40of the higher-calorie drinks.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Next, chocolate -
0:32:49 > 0:32:52whether it's an occasional indulgence or an everyday treat,
0:32:52 > 0:32:54I think each of us are reckoned
0:32:54 > 0:32:58to eat our way through 4.5kgs of the stuff every year.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01You've probably all noticed that chocolate bars and boxes
0:33:01 > 0:33:03do seem to be getting a bit smaller,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06while, of course, the prices stay the same.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09So what does that mean for the chocolate of the years to come?
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Well, when one Rip-Off Britain viewer wrote to us
0:33:11 > 0:33:16very unhappy with what was inside his box of Christmas chocolates,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19we knew we'd found the perfect person to investigate
0:33:19 > 0:33:21how the chocolate of the future might look
0:33:21 > 0:33:24and, importantly, how it might taste.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Like many of us, Roger Wood loves his chocolate.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34But when he opened this box last Christmas,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37he noticed that his favourite sweets were, well,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40less of a treat than they used to be.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44I was really surprised to see the reduced quantity of sweets in them.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48It's a complaint we hear about all the big brands.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Ten years ago, for example,
0:33:50 > 0:33:54a tin of Quality Street held 1.7kg of chocolate.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58But over the years, those big tins and tubs seem to have shrunk,
0:33:58 > 0:34:03until in 2014, Roger's held just 780g,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07meaning he'd get less than half the chocolate that he used to.
0:34:07 > 0:34:08Looking at it, you think,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12"Ooh, that's fine, I'm getting the same as I paid for last year,"
0:34:12 > 0:34:16but in reality, you're not. You're getting a few chocolates less.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21Roger's Quality Street isn't the only chocolate that appears
0:34:21 > 0:34:23to have been on a bit of a diet.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25From Snickers to Mars Bars,
0:34:25 > 0:34:28the size of many of our chocolate treats have reduced.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30And that's not the only charge
0:34:30 > 0:34:33that's left chocolate fans flummoxed.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35In January, Cadbury caused a stir
0:34:35 > 0:34:38when they changed the recipe for the chocolate in their Creme Eggs
0:34:38 > 0:34:41and at the same time reduced the number of eggs
0:34:41 > 0:34:43in a multipack from six to five.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Shrinking treats is a familiar complaint
0:34:45 > 0:34:48for chocolate consultant Jennifer Earle.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50I've seen lots of comments from outraged people
0:34:50 > 0:34:53that there's fewer and fewer sweets inside every year,
0:34:53 > 0:34:55yet they're paying the same price for them.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59But the manufacturers have a simple explanation.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02They all say that it's becoming more and more expensive
0:35:02 > 0:35:05to make chocolate, mainly because, they claim,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08the key ingredient - the cocoa - is getting pricier.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12So rather than risk the wrath of retailers and customers alike
0:35:12 > 0:35:13by upping their prices,
0:35:13 > 0:35:18they've chosen instead to cut down the size of some of their products.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22One way they might do that is by very subtly altering the shape.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25One of them is Cadbury's reformulation of the design
0:35:25 > 0:35:26of their Dairy Milk bar,
0:35:26 > 0:35:30which went from being sharper edges to more a more curved edge.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33What they've essentially done is shave 4g off the bar,
0:35:33 > 0:35:37which means that the consumer who's eating one of these a day
0:35:37 > 0:35:40is eating less cocoa over the year.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44In the UK, there are strict rules
0:35:44 > 0:35:46that say anything called milk chocolate
0:35:46 > 0:35:49must contain at least 20% cocoa solids.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51This is lower than other European nations
0:35:51 > 0:35:54such as chocolate purists France and Belgium,
0:35:54 > 0:35:56where to be considered as milk chocolate,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59a higher amount of cocoa has to be used
0:35:59 > 0:36:03and unlike in the UK, no vegetable fat is allowed to be included.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06But products such as market leader Dairy Milk
0:36:06 > 0:36:08already contain just that 20% minimum,
0:36:08 > 0:36:10so there isn't a lot of room
0:36:10 > 0:36:12to change the recipe to help keep the costs down,
0:36:12 > 0:36:14which is why chocolate manufacturers
0:36:14 > 0:36:18have come up with all sorts of creative ways to save money.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22In 2013, Cadbury's brought out Marvellous Creations,
0:36:22 > 0:36:26so very creative, including lots of candy, essentially,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29so jelly beans, popcorn, banana chips,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31things that are a lot cheaper than cocoa
0:36:31 > 0:36:35and mean that essentially there is less cocoa per bar.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Other big names have also tweaked even their most familiar brands.
0:36:39 > 0:36:45For example, in 2013, when Mars slashed 5g off a regular Mars Bar,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47it wasn't just the weight that changed.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49The recipe reportedly did too.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52One of the ways that chocolate manufacturers
0:36:52 > 0:36:56are making the cocoa go further is by adding other vegetable fats,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59but not just that - adding sugars.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02The Mars Bar reformulation some years ago now
0:37:02 > 0:37:04made the chocolate layer much thinner,
0:37:04 > 0:37:06so it was more caramel and nougat.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10When we spoke to the best known chocolate manufacturers,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Nestle and Cadbury,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15they reiterated that changes to the size of their products
0:37:15 > 0:37:18are entirely down to the rising cost of ingredients,
0:37:18 > 0:37:21but they insisted they're committed to good value
0:37:21 > 0:37:23and to minimising the impact on customers.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Mars, however, took a different line,
0:37:26 > 0:37:30saying its Mars and Snicker bars were resized and reformulated
0:37:30 > 0:37:35to reduce the calorie content and promote responsible consumption.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40It said none of its single-serve bars now has more than 250 calories.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44The body that represents the cocoa industry sent a reassuring message,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47telling us that contrary to some reports, there is...
0:37:53 > 0:37:56But it seems that the chocolate makers face a real challenge
0:37:56 > 0:37:58to keep our shelves stocked with products
0:37:58 > 0:38:03that are the same price, size and taste as we want them.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06So whether we like it or not, our favourite chocolates are likely
0:38:06 > 0:38:10to keep changing, perhaps even a lot more than they have so far.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13To get a taste of the future,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Roger has come to meet chocolatier David Greenwood-Haigh,
0:38:16 > 0:38:21who's been pioneering new ways of making our favourite treat.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23I've got some of the things you could actually add
0:38:23 > 0:38:27into chocolate here - nuts, fruit, chilli, sea salt,
0:38:27 > 0:38:31nougat, caramel, biscuits, wafer, those sorts of things.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35- And these are all cheaper than chocolate?- Absolutely, yeah.
0:38:35 > 0:38:40In fact, adding unexpected extras to our chocolate is an old trick.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Manufacturers have been doing it
0:38:42 > 0:38:45ever since the first chocolate bar was made in the 1840s.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47If we take this bar here,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50we've taken this, it's a really high-quality cocoa.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53If I let you try that, there's actually wafer inside,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55so that's taken 40% of the chocolate out.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57- It's really good.- Yeah.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Exactly, but it's 40% less,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02- so it's a different product to the solid chocolate bar.- Yeah.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06And David thinks that that could be the way forward -
0:39:06 > 0:39:09manufacturers making products with less and less chocolate
0:39:09 > 0:39:11until there really isn't any of it left at all.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Instead, they'll use cheaper ingredients.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16That means it looks the part,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18but can't officially be called chocolate.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21And it isn't years in the future.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23David's already made a sort of "choco-not",
0:39:23 > 0:39:28with no cocoa solids in it at all, just a smattering of cocoa powder.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30But whatever's inside,
0:39:30 > 0:39:33the only thing that really matters is the taste,
0:39:33 > 0:39:35so to find out if it hits the mark,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Roger's going to compare this new recipe
0:39:37 > 0:39:39- with the real thing.- Try this.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44- It tastes quite creamy.- Yep.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- Very smooth and velvety.- Yes.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49If you try the other one and see what you think to that.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56That's not quite as smooth, but it's more chocolaty, that one.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58The first one I gave you has no chocolate in whatsoever.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02It's palm oil, vegetable oil, cocoa powder
0:40:02 > 0:40:04and then some vanilla and sugar.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07There's nothing in there that would react in the same way.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Vegetable oil is much cheaper than cocoa butter.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13So, is that branded as chocolate?
0:40:13 > 0:40:17If I go into the supermarket, will I see that sold as chocolate?
0:40:17 > 0:40:21- No, but you would be forgiven for thinking it was.- Yeah.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24By the time it hit you, it would be called "chocolate flavour"
0:40:24 > 0:40:25or "chocolaty", like that one is.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28When you look at most bars, something like this,
0:40:28 > 0:40:29it'll say "chocolate".
0:40:29 > 0:40:33- Right.- Most consumers would actually not understand the difference,
0:40:33 > 0:40:35because it looks the same.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39So we could be heading for a future where we see
0:40:39 > 0:40:42more and more bars marketed as "chocolate-flavoured"
0:40:42 > 0:40:47rather than the real thing - normal, simple chocolate.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50David's chocolate of the future is a hit with Roger,
0:40:50 > 0:40:54but what will the people of his home town, Halifax, make of it?
0:40:54 > 0:40:55He's hitting the streets to find out
0:40:55 > 0:40:59whether they'd swap chocolate for "choco-not".
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Tell me what you think of that.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03It's not bad, but it's not real chocolate, is it?
0:41:03 > 0:41:04It's not real chocolate, no.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- It tastes like chocolate to me. - It does.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09Not really my taste in chocolate, that one.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11I think if you've got in shares in it,
0:41:11 > 0:41:13you should withdraw them quickly.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15- Not keen.- You're not keen?- No.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18What is it, if it's not chocolate?
0:41:18 > 0:41:19- Not chocolate?- Nope.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Could have fooled me!
0:41:22 > 0:41:25So the jury's out - some loved it, some didn't -
0:41:25 > 0:41:27but while we may all one day have to get used
0:41:27 > 0:41:30to a different kind of chocolate,
0:41:30 > 0:41:34for now, Roger's happy to pay that little bit extra for the real thing.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37In future, if I want proper chocolate,
0:41:37 > 0:41:40I'm going to have to pay a premium price for it,
0:41:40 > 0:41:42but I'm willing to do that.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44As far as the Quality Street is concerned,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47I'm happy to lose some of the weight in that product,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50provided at the end of the day I know it is a quality product
0:41:50 > 0:41:55and what I'm actually getting is something that I'm really paying for.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58# Sweet like chocolate, whoa-oa. #
0:42:03 > 0:42:04Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:42:04 > 0:42:09we're always ready to investigate more of your stories on any subject.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11You can write to us at:
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Or send us an e-mail to:
0:42:25 > 0:42:29The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35So it's clear that not all the secrets of our food and drink
0:42:35 > 0:42:37can be uncovered just by looking at the label,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40however much we might like to think that that's the case.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44But as we've seen today, sometimes the story on the label
0:42:44 > 0:42:45is a lot more complicated.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48But with a bit of luck, we've given you something to think about,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50so that next time you go shopping,
0:42:50 > 0:42:52you'll understand a little bit more about what you're getting
0:42:52 > 0:42:55and whether it's quite as good a deal as you thought it was.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57And it should all help with the family budget.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00I'm afraid that's where we have to leave you for today,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03but please do keep all of your stories, your questions
0:43:03 > 0:43:04and your comments coming
0:43:04 > 0:43:07and we will be back to investigate more of them very soon.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10In the meantime, I'm afraid that's where we have to leave you today,
0:43:10 > 0:43:12so thanks for joining us and from all of the team,
0:43:12 > 0:43:14- bye-bye.- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.