Double Cream cuts price ahead of revamp

Nestlé Rowntree is slashing the price of its Double Cream bar, in a move designed to spur flagging sales of the premium chocolate product. It is also revamping its packaging and introducing new variants.

The 47g Double Cream bar will sell for 29p, rather than its normal price of 42p, for six weeks around the relaunch of the brand, which was unveiled just 18 months ago (MW May 16, 2002). Nestlé is also introducing two new variants, Double Chocolate and Double Berry, in a move designed to reposition Double Cream as similar to Masterfoods-owned Galaxy (MW October 2, 2003).

Nestlé is understood to be investing up to £5m on support for the brand, which will include television advertising. The company has been criticised for not giving Double Cream enough after-care following its launch in 2002 and the initial burst of television work.

Industry insiders say there is some concern over the longevity of the brand, owing to it being repositioned so soon after its launch. There has been concern that UK consumers do not understand what the brand stands for and it is hoped that the relaunch will help to solve its teething problems.

Double Cream also faces stiff competition from Cadbury, through its Dairy Milk brand. In May last year, Cadbury revealed it was bringing a number of its chocolate bars under the Dairy Milk umbrella brand in an effort to focus its marketing spend and support (MW May 8, 2003). As part of this, the Wispa brand was axed in favour of Dairy Milk Bubbly.

Nestlé Rowntree UK marketing director Andrew Harrison, who was responsible for the launch of Double Cream, left the company at the end of last month to join yoghurt manufacturer Müller, as managing director (MW January 8).