Cadbury content on this site covers the brand's history and its full range of bars, but the palm oil question keeps coming up on its own, so it's worth answering specifically rather than folding it into the general sweets-and-palm-oil picture.
What's actually in UK Dairy Milk
Ingredient listings for UK-sold Dairy Milk — including the 850g Giant bar sold here — list "vegetable fats (palm, shea)" alongside cocoa butter. It isn't a case of palm oil replacing cocoa butter; both appear in the recipe, with the vegetable fats helping the chocolate set and behave consistently. Mondelez, Cadbury's owner, has stated that it hasn't reduced cocoa solids or milk content to make room for these fats, though it hasn't denied using them either.
Why some other markets differ
In 2009, Cadbury removed palm oil from the Dairy Milk recipe sold in New Zealand and Australia, following a well-publicised customer campaign. That change was specific to those markets and didn't carry over to the UK recipe. Separately, Cadbury-branded chocolate sold in the US is manufactured under licence by Hershey to its own recipe, which doesn't use palm oil at all — so "does Cadbury use palm oil" doesn't have one single worldwide answer.
What this means if you're checking labels
If you're avoiding palm oil specifically, the only reliable approach is reading the ingredients list on the exact product and market you're buying — UK law requires palm oil to be named rather than hidden under "vegetable oil", so it won't be disguised. Certified sustainable palm oil (the RSPO mark) addresses the environmental sourcing concern some shoppers have, though not every product carries that certification.
Shop the range
All eleven Cadbury bars are in stock in our Cadbury range, each with its full ingredients listed on the product page. For the brand's history and full bar-by-bar line-up, see our Cadbury chocolate guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cadbury Dairy Milk contain palm oil?
Yes — UK Dairy Milk lists vegetable fats (palm, shea) alongside cocoa butter.
Has Cadbury ever removed palm oil from Dairy Milk?
It did so for New Zealand and Australia in 2009, but not for the UK recipe.
Is Cadbury chocolate sold in the US the same recipe?
No — the US version is made under licence by Hershey to a different recipe without palm oil.
How do I check a specific Cadbury bar myself?
Read the ingredients list on the pack or product page — palm oil must be named specifically under UK labelling law.
Sources: Mondelez palm oil Q&A, reproduced by Hancocks, ConfectioneryNews, 2009.