Portion-conscious snackers
If you want a little chocolate mid-morning, the amount you break off matters: the published bars compared here weigh 90g or 100g, rather than being individually portioned treats.
Who is this for?
People who enjoy stronger cocoa flavours
Bars labelled 74%, 85% and 100% cocoa offer different flavour choices. Compare their exact nutrition panels as well as the cocoa percentages; a higher percentage alone does not determine a serving size.
Ingredient- and sourcing-led buyers
Fairtrade, organic and vegan descriptions may help you narrow the choice. Check the precise bar and its current allergen statement rather than applying a claim from one flavour or product line to another.
What should you check?
Start with the portion you would actually eat, then compare cocoa percentage, the per-100g panel and the exact pack's allergen information.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portion | Check the bar weight and any stated serving size. Use the nutrition values for the amount you plan to break off, rather than assuming the whole bar is one serving. | I want a small mid-morning treat, not an entire 90g or 100g bar in one sitting. |
| Cocoa and flavour | Compare the cocoa percentage and the exact bar's flavour description. Montezuma's labels Absolute Black as 100% cocoa with no added sugar; that does not describe other dark bars. | A less intense cocoa flavour appeals to me, or I already know I enjoy a more bitter bar. |
| Nutrition panel | Compare total sugars, energy and saturated fat on the same per-100g basis, then consider your portion. Divine lists 28.9g sugars per 100g for its 70% bar; Montezuma's lists 0.6g for Absolute Black 100%. | I want to compare the figures for the bars I might buy without assuming that a cocoa percentage describes their full nutrition. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients and precautionary statements for the exact variant. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE 70% bar is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. | If an allergen matters to me, a general dark-chocolate or vegan description cannot replace the pack statement. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Treating the whole bar as a snack portion
The compared manufacturer panels put a 25g portion at approximately 141–156 kcal, depending on the bar. A 90g or 100g pack contains considerably more than that portion.
Choose the amount you want before eating and put the rest away. Check the pack if it gives a different suggested serving.
-
Assuming dark or vegan means suitable for an allergy
Warnings differ between products. Lindt explicitly says its vegan-recipe EXCELLENCE 70% bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy; Divine and Montezuma's also publish precautionary statements for particular bars.
Read the ingredients and may-contain wording on the current pack of the exact bar, including its flavour and cocoa percentage.
-
Choosing by cocoa percentage alone
The published 70%, 85% and 100% examples have different total-sugars figures, but cocoa percentage does not tell you the bar's energy, saturated fat or intended portion.
Use cocoa percentage to narrow the flavour choice, then compare the exact products' per-100g panels and the amount you plan to eat.
-
Applying a retail snack choice to school provision
School-food requirements depend on the setting. Department for Education guidance on school food in England addresses state-funded schools in England; proposed changes from September 2027 are subject to Parliamentary approval.
For school provision, check the requirements applying to the relevant nation, school and service before deciding whether to supply a chocolate product.
Brand references for dark chocolate bars
Green & Black's
Green & Black's identifies a Dark 70% Chocolate 90g bar among its UK products.
- A named 70% cocoa, 90g option for comparing bar sizes and cocoa levels.
- Check the current pack for ingredients, nutrition and allergens when comparing this bar with another product.
Divine
Divine's 70% Dark Chocolate is a 90g bar; Divine describes its business as co-owned by cocoa farmers of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative.
- The published panel lists 28.9g total sugars and 576 kcal per 100g.
- Despite its vegan label, the bar may contain gluten, milk and nuts, according to Divine.
Lindt
Lindt lists EXCELLENCE dark bars at several cocoa percentages, including a 100g 70% bar.
- The EXCELLENCE 70% panel lists 29g total sugars and 566 kcal per 100g.
- Lindt says this vegan-recipe 70% bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy and may contain nuts, milk, soya and sesame.
Montezuma's
Montezuma's lists both FitzRoy Organic 74% and Absolute Black 100% as 90g dark bars.
- Its published panels list 25g total sugars per 100g for FitzRoy and 0.6g per 100g for Absolute Black; compare the bars separately.
- Both product statements say they may contain milk, nuts and peanuts.
Hotel Chocolat
Hotel Chocolat lists plain and flavoured dark-chocolate formats, including a Hazelnut 70% Dark Chocolate 100g Slab.
- The named hazelnut slab is a specific 70% cocoa, 100g option for someone seeking that flavour.
- A hazelnut slab is not interchangeable with a plain bar when ingredients or allergies affect the choice; inspect its current pack.
M&S
M&S Collection Dark Chocolate is a 100g, 85% cocoa bar described by M&S as containing Fairtrade cocoa.
- The M&S panel lists 15.9g total sugars and 612 kcal per 100g for this bar.
- M&S says it is not suitable for people with a milk, nut or peanut allergy and advises checking product information as it can change.
Dark chocolate bars on Joybuy
These 70%, 72% and 85% cocoa bars offer different starting points for a portioned mid-morning treat. Compare each bar's stated serving information and current pack before choosing.
No image available
Morrisons The Best 72% Cocoa Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate 100g
For a portioned mid-morning treat at 72% cocoa, the listing gives a 20g serving with 124 kcal and 4.1g sugars. The bar weighs 100g; its allergen information says it contains soya and may contain gluten, milk, nuts and peanuts. Check the current pack if these allergens matter to you.
No image available
Morrisons The Best 85% Cocoa Ecuador Dark Chocolate 100g
For someone considering an 85% cocoa bar, the listing states 13.8g sugars per 100g and a 20g serving with 120 kcal and 2.8g sugars. The 100g bar needs dividing for that serving; it may contain gluten, milk, nuts and peanuts, so check the current pack where relevant.
No image available
Green & Black's Dark 85% Chocolate 90g
This 85% cocoa bar is described as intense and bitter. The listing identifies two rows as an 18g portion with 109 kcal, rather than treating the whole 90g bar as one snack; it also says the product may contain almonds, hazelnuts and milk. Check the current pack where allergens matter.
No image available
Green & Black's Dark 70% Chocolate 90g
This 70% cocoa option has a stated two-row, 18g portion providing 104 kcal. The full bar weighs 90g, and the listing says it may contain almonds, hazelnuts and milk; check the current pack if those allergens affect your choice.
No image available
Lindt EXCELLENCE 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate 100g
For an 85% cocoa choice, this listing gives 15g sugars and 584 kcal per 100g; decide how much of the 100g bar you intend to eat. Check the current pack's ingredients and allergen warnings if nuts, milk, soya or sesame affect your choice.
Questions about choosing a bar
How much of a 90g or 100g bar should I break off?
Decide on a portion before eating rather than treating the whole bar as one mid-morning serving. As a comparison, 25g works out to approximately 141–156 kcal across the published Divine, Lindt, Montezuma's and M&S panels discussed here; check the exact bar for its own serving information.
Does more cocoa always mean less sugar?
No: cocoa percentage alone cannot establish the sugar content of every recipe. In these specific published examples, Divine and Lindt 70% bars list 28.9g and 29g total sugars per 100g, Montezuma's FitzRoy 74% lists 25g, M&S 85% lists 15.9g and Montezuma's Absolute Black 100% lists 0.6g. Compare the panel on the bar you intend to buy.
Is a vegan dark-chocolate bar suitable for someone with a milk allergy?
Do not assume it is. Lindt states that its vegan-recipe EXCELLENCE 70% bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy, and other dark bars carry may-contain statements. Read the current ingredients and precautionary wording for the exact product.
Can the same bar be chosen for school mid-morning provision?
A retail snack choice does not establish whether a bar can be provided in a particular school setting. Department for Education school-food guidance addresses state-funded schools in England and says proposed changes from September 2027 are subject to Parliamentary approval. Check the requirements for the relevant nation, school type and service before making a provision decision.