Cadbury started using palm oil in some Dairy Milk products in early 2009, and then reversed that decision in August 2009 after consumer backlash.

Quick Scoop

The clearest public reporting says Cadbury New Zealand substituted palm oil and other vegetable fat for some cocoa butter earlier in 2009.

By 17 August 2009, Cadbury announced it would remove palm oil from those products and return to a cocoa-butter-only recipe in Australia and New Zealand.

What happened

  • Start: “Earlier this year” in 2009, according to reporting on Cadbury New Zealand’s decision.
  • Backlash: Consumers protested, saying they did not want palm oil in Cadbury Dairy Milk.
  • Reversal: Cadbury said it would stop using palm oil in those lines in August 2009.

Important nuance

This timing is mainly documented for Cadbury New Zealand / Australia in 2009.

Cadbury products in different countries can have different recipes, so the exact date can vary by market.

If you want, I can also give you a country-by-country breakdown of Cadbury’s palm-oil use.