Local sales of Favourites chocolate variety boxes have reportedly dived for the second winter in a row as Melbourne residents are unable to visit friends, and therefore not feeling obliged to take something despite being asked not to. An inside source at Cadbury confirmed the troubling trend earlier this week, revealing that Favourites relied heavily on the unwritten rule that you must take “something” when going to a friend’s house.

Having previously used the promotional catchphrase “What to Bring When You’re Told Not to Bring a Thing”, Favourites have presumably fallen victim to their own clever marketing strategy, with most Melburnians unable to identify the last time they purchased a box for themselves to just pick through on their own. The anonymous Cadbury insider said, “At the time, that campaign was a real winner. I mean, Favourites had kind of already been the quasi go-to for guilt gifting, but that campaign firmly established the credentials. Looking at our sales graphs, the figures dipped around April, recovered slightly in May and June, but are on-track to deliver the worst August in history. It’s not looking good.”

Watsonia woman Carole Fraser seemed to confirm the predicament Favourites are now in. In a candid interview, Fraser said, “I don’t think I’ve ever bought a box just for me and family. I mean, why would you? If you’re buying for yourself, you buy a block of what you actually like, not some random box that includes a disproportionate amount of Turkish Delights and Flakes. I’m not dissing Favourites as a concept. In fact, I’m normally a frequent purchaser, but I literally have nowhere to go at the moment. And, even if I did, I’m not allowed to. Sorry Cadbury, I’ll be back on board as soon as life returns to normal.”

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