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The US and international formulas are not the same— here's exactly what changed and why.
Hershey (under Cadbury license) USA
| Ingredient | 🇺🇸 US Version | 🌍 International | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbhq | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
The same company makes both versions — but they use different formulas depending on where the product is sold. In the EU, UK, and Canada, regulations require either banning certain additives outright or mandating warning labels (e.g., "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" for certain synthetic dyes).
Rather than print warning labels, most manufacturers reformulate the product for international markets — using natural colorants like paprika extract, beetroot concentrate, or spirulina instead of petroleum-derived synthetic dyes.
The US FDA has a different standard: it deems additives "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) based on older safety data, while EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) applies stricter precautionary principles and requires manufacturers to prove safety rather than assume it.
Hershey produces Cadbury Creme Eggs for the US market under license, but uses a different chocolate formulation than the UK original. The US version lists sugar as the first ingredient while the UK version lists milk first — meaning the UK chocolate has more milk and the US has more sugar by weight. The US version uses PGPR (a cheap cocoa butter substitute) and artificial vanilla flavor, while the authentic UK version uses real cocoa butter and no PGPR. Many Americans have noted the distinctly different, less rich taste of US-produced Cadbury chocolate.
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