Huge UK supermarket imposes two-bar limit on ‘incredibly popular’ chocolate as shoppers strip shelves bare

DUBAI style chocolate has taken the UK by storm with many shops stocking dupes of the popular flavour.

Now one British retailer has imposed a limit of two bars per customer.

Dubai chocolate contains a filling of the traditional Arab dessert Knafeh and pistachio.

First created in 2021, the flavour has proven popular with UK shoppers, with stores such as M&S, Lidl, and Morrisons jumping on the bandwagon

Waitrose was the most recent retailer to join the frenzy, adding Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate to select stores on March 23.

With more stock set to hit shelves on March 31, the chain advised customers to “be quick as once they're gone, they're gone”.

They have since announced that shoppers are restricted to two bars per transaction.

Steve Dresser, CEO of Grocery Insight, posted a photo of new signage in a Waitrose store on LinkedIn.

“No more than 2 bars per person please... because we want everyone to have the chance to enjoy our delicious chocolate. Thank for your understanding,” the sign read.

A spokesman for Waitrose told The Grocer that the limit was introduced to regulate stock levels of the £10 bars.

“Due to the incredible popularity of this product, we want to make sure that as many customers as possible have the opportunity to try it,”; the representative said.

The Lindt bars, which contain 45% pistachio and Kadayif pastry, were first launched in the UK in December.

They are one of many options, with some stores now offering own-brand versions, after the TikTok craze went viral.

The demand was first sparked byDubai chocolatier Fix Dessert’s Can’t Get Knafeh of It tablet.

Foodie influencers have taken to TikTok to post their thoughts on the ultra-indulgent bars.

They have also proven popular with ASMR creators due to the satisfying snap they make when broken.

At the time of publication, Fix Dessert has amassed 382,600 TikTok followers, while #dubaichocolate has been included in 328,100 posts on the platform.

How to save money on chocolate

We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don't have to break the bank buying your favourite bar.

Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs…

Go own brand – if you're not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you'll save by going for the supermarket's own brand bars.

Shop around – if you've spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it's cheaper elsewhere.

Websites like Trolley.co.uk let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you're getting the best deal.

Look out for yellow stickers – supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they've been reduced.

They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged.

Buy bigger bars – most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar.

So if you've got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.

A limited run of the bars were added to shelves in select Lindt stores in the lead up to Christmas and quickly sold out.

Lindt recently replenished stocks in Lindt across its UK stores, as well as securing listings with Waitrose, Sainsbury's, and Ocado.

The brand has also expanded the range with a Dubai Style Chocolate Praline Box.

A smaller 40 gram alternative to the 100 gram bar was also launched exclusively into the new London Piccadilly Lindt store, which opened last week.

“The response is overwhelming; we are selling an incredible amount of the bars,” Lindt UK & Ireland CEO Joel Burrows told The Grocer.

“People are really enjoying the taste of the product, and that’s what they’re saying onsocial media.

“They’re finding the bars, they’re taking pictures of the bars, but they’re also saying it tastes delicious. And that’s what we’re trying to do: Create delicious-tasting chocolate products.”;