Visitors buying one treat
A single bar avoids committing to a multipack. Decide whether the intended eater wants a plain dark bar or a particular flavour or cocoa percentage.
Who is choosing a bar?
Stallholders offering packaged chocolate
Keep manufacturer packaging and label information intact, and arrange cool, dry storage away from direct sunlight. GOV.UK says food businesses can include those trading from temporary premises; check whether registration applies before selling.
Buyers checking dietary or allergy requirements
Read the current wrapper for ingredients and precautionary allergen statements. A vegan description alone does not establish that a bar is suitable for someone with an allergy.
What should you check?
Start with the person who will eat the bar, then check its label and how you will store it during the sale.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa and flavour | Compare the stated cocoa percentage and check whether the bar is plain or flavoured. A 100% cocoa bar is a different choice from a 70% bar. | I want one bar that suits the intended eater, rather than choosing a stronger cocoa percentage by default. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the exact current wrapper, including ingredients and any precautionary allergen statements. Check dietary descriptions against that label. | If I am buying for someone with an allergy or a dietary requirement, I need the information for this particular bar. |
| Outdoor storage | Follow the bar’s storage directions and keep it dry, shaded and protected from heat where the label calls for this. | Chocolate may spend time at an outdoor stall, so I need somewhere suitable to keep it before it is eaten or sold. |
| Stall sales | Keep the original label available. Before selling food or repacking portions, check the applicable registration and labelling requirements with the relevant local authority. | If I plan to sell bars rather than bring one for myself, I need to know what applies to my stall. |
What can catch you out?
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Assuming every dark bar suits the same taste
A 100% cocoa bar is a specialist choice, not an interchangeable substitute for a 70% bar.
Choose a higher-cocoa bar when the intended eater specifically wants one; otherwise, consider a plain 70–75% option first.
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Using “vegan” as an allergy assurance
A recipe description does not rule out allergen warnings. The Lindt 70% bar, for example, is described as made to a vegan recipe but not suitable for people with a milk allergy, according to Lindt.
Check the current physical wrapper against the person’s requirements before buying or offering a bar.
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Leaving bars in a warm car or direct sun
Product storage directions include protecting chocolate from heat and keeping it cool, dry and away from sunlight.
Plan shaded storage and put out only the quantity you need to display.
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Repacking bars without checking the rules
Repacking changes which label information remains with the chocolate. Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland material describes food-name and full-ingredients-list duties for food that falls within prepacked-for-direct-sale rules.
For stall sales, retain intact manufacturer wrappers or check the requirements that apply to your planned portions with the relevant local authority before trading.
Which brands offer relevant bars?
These are examples of single-bar ranges to compare; check the exact variant and its current wrapper before choosing.
Lindt
The EXCELLENCE range includes a plain 70% dark bar in a 100 g size.
- A stated cocoa percentage and bar size make the variant straightforward to identify.
- Lindt says its 70% bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy despite being made to a vegan recipe.
Divine
Divine offers a 90 g plain 70% dark bar described by the brand as made with Fairtrade ingredients.
- A plain 70% option for buyers looking for the brand’s Fairtrade ingredient positioning.
- Check the current wrapper for precautionary allergen statements, even when considering vegan-labelled chocolate.
Green & Black's
A 90 g organic 70% dark bar is listed by Tesco.
- The listed bar provides a plain 70% cocoa option.
- Tesco’s listing says it may contain nuts and milk and should be protected from heat.
Montezuma's
The range includes a ginger-flavoured 70% bar and Absolute Black, a 100% cocoa bar.
- Distinct flavour and cocoa-percentage options for someone with a known preference.
- Do not treat the 100% bar as a substitute for a plain 70% choice without checking the eater’s preference and the wrapper.
M&S
M&S lists single dark-chocolate bars at 75% and 85% cocoa.
- The two stated percentages give buyers a choice of cocoa profile.
- M&S instructs buyers to store its 85% bar in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
Hotel Chocolat
Hotel Chocolat lists dark-chocolate slab variants at 70% and 85% cocoa.
- Choose between the stated cocoa percentages according to the intended eater’s preference.
- Check the exact product label before choosing a slab for someone with an allergy.
Single-bar options on Joybuy
These individual dark-chocolate bars include plain 70–72% options, a raspberry-flavoured bar and 85% choices for someone who prefers that cocoa percentage. Check the current wrapper for ingredients, allergens and storage directions, particularly if the bar will be offered at a stall.
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Morrisons The Best 72% Cocoa Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate 100g
A 100 g single bar with 72% cocoa for someone choosing a plain dark option. Store it cool and dry, away from direct sunlight. Check the wrapper: the product information lists soya and says it may contain gluten, milk, nuts and peanuts.
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Green & Black's Dark Chocolate 70% 90g
A 90 g single bar with 70% cocoa for a plain dark-chocolate choice. Keep it dry and protect it from heat. The product information includes precautionary almond, hazelnut, milk and nut warnings; check the current wrapper.
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Divine 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries 90g
A 90 g flavoured option with 70% cocoa and 3% freeze-dried raspberry pieces, rather than a plain dark bar. Check the current wrapper before buying for dietary requirements: the product information uses vegan-friendly wording but also lists milk in ingredient and allergen text.
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Green & Black's Dark Chocolate 85% 90g
A 90 g bar for someone specifically choosing 85% cocoa rather than a 70–75% option. Store it dry and protect it from heat. The product information says it may contain almonds, hazelnuts, milk and nuts; check the wrapper.
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Lindt EXCELLENCE 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate 100g
A 100 g single bar with 85% cocoa for a person who wants that higher-cocoa option. Keep it cool and dry. Check the current wrapper against allergy requirements; the product information lists nuts, milk, soya and sesame among allergens.
Common questions
What cocoa percentage should I choose for one dark-chocolate treat?
A plain 70–75% bar is a practical starting point if the adult eater has not asked for a particular cocoa profile. Choose an 85–100% bar when you know they want it, and check whether they would prefer a plain or flavoured bar.
Does a vegan description mean a bar is suitable for someone with a milk allergy?
No. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE 70% bar is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. Check the exact current wrapper and its precautionary statements against the person’s requirements.
How should I keep chocolate at an outdoor car boot sale?
Keep it in its wrapper and follow its storage directions, using a cool, dry, shaded place where required. Tesco’s Green & Black's listing says to protect the bar from heat, while M&S directs buyers to keep its 85% bar away from sunlight.
Do I need to register to sell packaged chocolate from a stall?
Registration may apply. GOV.UK’s food-business guidance includes trading from temporary premises; check with the relevant local authority whether your planned activity needs registration before you trade.
What if I unwrap bars and pack portions for sale?
Check whether your portions fall within prepacked-for-direct-sale rules before preparing them. Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland material describes food-name and full-ingredients-list duties for PPDS food. Keeping manufacturer-wrapped bars intact also keeps their product labels with them.