Ferrero Rocher named the UK’s favourite chocolate

Dark chocolate was also the most searched type of chocolate

Ferrero Rocher crowned the UK's favourite chocolate (Neilson Barnard/Getty)

Ferrero Rocher is the nation’s favourite chocolate, according to a new survey released to mark National Chocolate Day.

Britsuperstore, a retailer specialising in delivering British foodstuffs around the world, analysed over 10mUK search results to find that the chocolate and hazelnut confections came top, with over 900,000 searches in the past year, and a 20 per cent search volume increase since last year.

The study also found that dark chocolate is the most searched for type of chocolate, with an overall search volume of more than 182,000, perhaps reflecting the national shift towards veganism.

Elsewhere, Cadbury leads the way as the UK’s most popular chocolate manufacturer, with over 629,000 searches in the past 12 months.

Ferrero Rocher was first launched in 1982 by the Italian Ferrero Group, which also makes Nutella, Kinder and Tic Tac.

Each ball consists of a whole roasted hazelnut encased in a thin wafer shell filled with hazelnut chocolate spread and covered in milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts.

Covered in foil and placed in a paper liner, the confection’s production process remains an industry secret.

In 2017, Ferraro sold almost £10.5b worth of sweets, while its namesake owners are worth an estimated £25b.

Founded in 1946 in Italy, the business has expanded through decades of growth “with little debt and no acquisitions”, reports Forbes.

The news comes just weeks after Maltesers released a new dark chocolate version of the classic treat

Designed to give fans of the chocolate snack greater choice, Maltesers Dark contains 65 per cent more cocoa and 30 per cent less sugar.

According to the brand, around six packs of Maltesers are sold every second, but fans have long been asking for a dark chocolate version of the popular snack.

Dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidants and a hit with vegans, has witnessed a 15 per cent growth in the market recently.

The top 10 most searched chocolates in the UK

1. Ferrero Rocher

2. Milky Way

3. Snickers

4. Caramac

5. M&Ms

6. Smarties

7. Dairy Milk

8. Yorkie

9. Mars Bar

10. Kitkat