Tony’s Chocolonely criticized for purposely excluding a day in advent calendar for a socially conscious reason

Tony’s Chocolonely has been slammed for leaving a day blank in its Christmas advent calendar to encourage awareness of ‘inequality’ in the chocolate industry. 

Owners of the Big Countdown Calendar – which sells for £14.99 – were left gutted when they went to open door number 10 only to find that there was no chocolate inside. 

Furious customers have vowed never to buy the calendar again, while parents have complained that their children had been left in tears.  

Dutch company Tony’s stated that the calendar was ‘unequally divided because the chocolate industry is unequally divided’ – but it has come under fire for using an advent calendar for a political stunt. 

The confectionery company previously apologised for using the same tactic in 2021 and for causing ‘confusion and disappointment’, but has brought it back once more. 

This year however, Tony’s said that customers were given two treats in the number nine door to make up for it and also received 25 chocolates behind 24 doors in total. 

It sparked heated backlash on social media, as many were left wishing they’d opted for a cheaper Cadburys calendar instead. 

They wrote: ‘That’s why I’ve got a Cadbury one. i want daily chocolate, not preaching to’; 

‘Sorry I know it’s activism but if I opened my calendar and the door was empty it would ruin my day’;

‘Using a advent calendar as a political stunt is crazy work’; 

‘That’s exactly why I didn’t buy the advent calendar again this year. It’s such a let down’;

‘I was like why yesterday got two chocolates must be them being kind to then wake up to none’; 

‘Won’t be getting this calendar again.’

However, others were intrigued by the concept – and pointed out that they were still getting the same amount of chocolate.  

One said: ‘Tony’s chocolonely really slaps consumers in the face with activism, i love it’, while another added: ‘It’s quite clever because i wouldn’t have thought about the inequality in the chocolate industry otherwise (as much as it would annoy me a little).’ 

One TikTok user, Reina, who lives in the UK, had been posting videos of herself opening the door each day. 

She was clearly very excited to open door number 10, but was initially shocked when she found ‘nothing’ inside. However, she soon rationed: ‘We had two yesterday so it’s all good’. 

Known to fans simply as Tony’s, the Fairtrade brand was founded in the Netherlands in 2005 by three Dutch TV journalists.  

On its website, Tony’s calls the product the (Un)FAIR Countdown Calendar.   

The £14.99 big calendar contains 225g of chocolate in 10 different flavours. The smaller calendar meanwhile has one chocolate behind each door. 

A small message of explanation was posted alongside the window.  

On TikTok, the chocolate company explained: ‘If you have our big countdown calendar, you would have missed out on a choco today..

‘It’s unequally divided because the chocolate industry is unequally divided. 

‘The bitter truth is 1.56 million children in cocoa-growing families are involved in child labour in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. 

‘At Tony’s, we exist to change that. By chomping on our choc, you’re helping us break the mould to end exploitation in cocoa, bar by bar, bite by bite. Are you in?

‘Psssssst.. you still get 25 chocolates in 24 doors.’

They added on their website: ‘Big chocolate companies make big profits, while cocoa farmers aren’t paid enough for their cocoa. The result? Many of them still live way below the poverty line. Sometimes this leaves them little choice but to use illegal labour to farm their cocoa. 

‘Child labour and forced labour just so some folks can enjoy a sweet chocolate treat? 

‘Unacceptable! Tony’s Chocolonely exists to change this. But we can’t do it alone. Choose change in the chocolate industry by sharing our chocolate and sharing our story this festive season.’

In 2021, the firm apologised for the stunt after parents said children were upset by the missing chocolate. 

Tony’s acknowledged it had caused ‘confusion and disappointment’ by the decision – but have subsequently brought it back. 

The company said: ‘Unfortunately, we failed to consider the difficulties empty windows can cause for neurodivergent children and adults. We have more to learn in considering how we can make our products as inclusive as possible.

‘At Tony’s we use our products to tell the story of an industry unequally divided and choc-full of inequality.’

Unhappy parents said previously they did not need to be ‘taught a lesson by my advent calendar’ – adding that it upset children with autism and ADHD who did not understand the reason. 

Hundreds of comments were posted on Tony’s social media pages.

The company says it made up for the empty window with extra bonus chocolates on December 9 and 24, which each had two treats rather than the usual one.

But one mother, Rebecca Winward, said: ‘My eight-year-old daughter was in floods of tears at the disappointment. She has ADHD and is awaiting a possible autism diagnosis, so what seems like small upsets to others are a big deal to her.’

Another mother said: ‘So glad I didn’t buy for my autistic son. I get the reason why, but think it wrong not to pre-warn.’

Meanwhile, Laura Tylor wrote: ‘Calendars are for children and tears before school is not ideal. If you want to make a statement, advise (the calendar is) for adults/older children only.’

And Lisbeth King said: ‘(I) don’t feel I need to be taught a lesson by my advent calendar.

‘You’re rather preaching to the converted here.’

FEMAIL has reached out to Tony’s Chocolonely for comment.