If you’ve been hunting for a gift for that special someone today – assuming you haven’t got the ick – and thought that the price of chocolates seems higher than usual, you’re not wrong… New data shows Aussies are paying over 10% more for the sweet treats than we did last Valentine’s Day due to an international cocoa shortage. Prices for the raw product skyrocketed by 144% over the previous 12 months, and there’s no end in sight as it “continually reaches new records”, leaving the global industry – and us – in a “big panic”. A combination of factors are to blame – farmers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire say climate change and deforestation have caused several years of bad harvests. They are calling for big chocolate companies to pursue more sustainable practices. If that’s enough to put you off the sweet stuff, don’t worry because this year, it’s all about self-care on V-Day anyway…