"Really Demotivating": Woman Compares Price Jumps for Identical Products Over 10 Years

• A TikTok post comparing the 2016 and 2026 prices of a Cadbury Chomp bar left South Africans stunned by how much has changed
• The 15g chocolate bar that once cost just over a rand now sells for around R8, a jump of more than 600%
• South Africans flooded the comments linking the price spike to broader struggles with food, fuel and electricity costs

A side-by-side price comparison posted on TikTok has South Africans questioning how everyday snacks became a luxury. TikToker @tlekgwathi1 shared the post on 24 August 2026, comparing the retail prices of two childhood favourites a decade apart.

The numbers were hard to swallow. A 15g Cadbury Chomp bar that cost roughly R1.11 in 2016 now retails for around R8, representing a jump of more than 620%. Beacon Jelly Tots tell a similar story, climbing from R7.99 to R25.99 over the same period, an increase of about 225%. The caption said it simply: "Chomp got a cost of living upgrade."

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The post quickly racked up hundreds of comments, with many South Africans sharing their disbelief and adding their own price comparisons. See the TikTok post that got South Africa talking:

Mzansi stunned by prices

South Africans in the comments had plenty to say:

@wandi wrote:

"Now show them Pringles 🫩👍🏽"

@in.tokozo 🐥 pointed out:

"Mind you the sizes shrank."

@Boitumelo Thulo reacted:

"Chomp ke EIGHT RANTA? 😳"

@Shavonne 🧿 said:

"All when it's our turn to be adults btw 😭 can't even buy a house we must save for a chomp 🫠"

@Meah added:

"Jelly tots are currently R31.99 👀"

@Heinrich Brink shared:

"The hardest part about this for me — I've been fortunate and hard working enough to have had good salary jumps over the last 2 years. These increases basically made it worthless as we have had to triple our expense budget with the rise in food, fuel and electricity. It's really demotivating."

@K reflected:

"Millennials had the best childhood 🥺🥺🥺 I'm sure even the taste was better, they're the chosen generation ♥️"

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Other Briefly News stories about price comparisons

• A Zimbabwean woman's first experience in South Africa highlighted her amusing reaction to the price of KFC as captured in a viral TikTok video.
• South Africans reacted to a viral video that compares grocery prices between South Africa and Nigeria, sparking an engaging online discussion filled with mixed reactions.
• The significant rise in food prices in South Africa since the year 2000 has drastically affected consumer buying power, with basic food items soaring by over 500%.

Source: Briefly News