Torrential rain and cool temperatures over the summer led people to binge on chocolate and help Cadbury’s sales soar.

The lack of sunshine also meant there was less chance of favourite bars like Dairy Milk melting. 

The surge in chocolate sales in the UK today helped Cadbury Schweppes offset disappointment at its failure to sell its American drinks arm. 

Cadbury shares opened more than two per cent higher after it said its worldwide confectionery business enjoyed a “particularly strong” third quarter of the year, with sales up 10 per cent.

The announcement came a week after Cadbury revealed it was to axe hundreds of jobs at two of its UK factories, including its historic home at Bournville in Birmingham. Around 200 jobs will go in the West Midlands with another 500 in Bristol, where the Keynsham factory will shut and some production moved to Poland. West Midland workers from Bournville joined a mass protest in Keynsham yesterday.

The company said an acceptable sale of its American drinks business was unlikely. 

Chairman Sir John Sunderland said the company had seen another excellent performance from its chewing gum division.