Mondelēz International has unveiled its Christmas 2026 confectionery range, introducing a host of new Cadbury products alongside returning festive favourites as it looks to help convenience retailers maximise seasonal sales.
Leading the new launches are two additions to the growing Cadbury Dairy Milk and Lotus Biscoff partnership. The new Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff Filled Centres combine Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate with crunchy Biscoff spread and will be available as both a single bar and a three-pack multipack. The company is also launching a Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff Pouch, featuring a mix of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chunks and Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff chunks in a sharing format.
Another new product for the festive season is the Cadbury Dairy Milk Smash Bauble, a chocolate bauble designed to be broken open to reveal either Cadbury Buttons or Freddo faces inside.
Mondelēz said the launches come as Christmas remains the most important seasonal trading period for convenience retailers. According to its research, 72 per cent of convenience retailers consider seasonal sales to be very important to their business, with Christmas delivering the strongest performance. Deals and promotions, new product launches and in-store display materials were identified as the biggest sales drivers.
Fast start
The supplier is encouraging retailers to make a “fast start” to the season from September, noting that almost a quarter of all Christmas confectionery sales in independent convenience and symbol stores are generated during the opening weeks of festive trading.
To capitalise on early demand, the company is recommending retailers stock self-eat treats, sharing products and tablets that signal the arrival of Christmas to shoppers.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Smash BaublePhoto: Handout
Returning self-eat favourites include Cadbury Puds, while sharing options such as Cadbury Mini Puds, Cadbury Mini Snow Balls and Cadbury Dairy Milk Robins will again be available, supported by clip strips designed to drive impulse purchases.
The company is also bringing back Cadbury Roses and Cadbury Heroes in their redesigned cartons and pouches for the key sharing occasion.
Countdown to Christmas
For gifting, the range includes the Cadbury Dairy Milk 345g bar, alongside gift blocks such as Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff, Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland, Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Mint Crisp and Cadbury Mini Snow Balls.
In biscuits, seasonal favourites OREO Gingerbread, OREO Enrobed White, Cadbury Snowy Fingers and Cadbury Festive Animals will all return for Christmas 2026.
The advent calendar line-up also returns, led by the Cadbury Dairy Milk 90g Advent Calendar, which Mondelēz said remains the category's top-selling product in independent retailers and now features a tray made from 35 per cent recycled plastic. The Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff Advent Calendar, launched last year, is also returning after proving a successful addition to the range.
Gifting finish
For the key December gifting period, Mondelēz is highlighting products including the Cadbury Medium Selection Box, Cadbury Milk Tray and the returning Cadbury Dairy Milk Coins, which the company said was the top-selling gifting novelty SKU across the total market in 2025 after growing 34 per cent year on year.
The company is also reviving its Cadbury Secret Santa Postal Service, allowing consumers to anonymously send a free Cadbury chocolate bar to someone special in the run-up to Christmas.
Retailers will once again have the opportunity to host their own in-store Secret Santa Postal Service through a competition on SnackDisplay.co.uk. Three winning stores will receive a promotional package including 150 Cadbury Dairy Milk tablets, envelopes, postage and point-of-sale materials. Entries will open on 1 September and close on 18 October.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Biscoff PouchPhoto: Handout
Gabriella Sargeant, junior brand manager for Christmas at Mondelēz International, said the supplier was expanding its festive range to create more excitement and incremental sales opportunities.
“We believe that it's not Christmas without Cadbury and this year we are giving retailers even more opportunities to drive incremental sales this winter, with innovations driving excitement,” she said.
She added that the expanded Biscoff range and the introduction of the Smash Baubles would give shoppers more choice across self-eat, sharing and gifting occasions throughout the festive season.
“Our range of seasonal products allow our shopper to choose the right festive snack or gift for their occasion. Whether that’s a quick bite while relaxing in front of the TV with our Cadbury Dairy Milk Mini Puds or providing an array of snacks for the whole family with a Cadbury Dairy Milk Mixed Chunks sharing tin, we have something for everyone,” Sargeant said.