Cadbury Secret Santa: Postal Service explained, how to scan QR code and where to find posters across UK

The Cadbury Secret Santa Postal Service is back once again, with thousands of free chocolate bars up for grabs across the UK
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The Cadbury Secret Santa Postal Service has returned once again for the 2022 festive season, and will see thousands across the UK receive an anonymous chocolate bar for free. This year marks the fifth time that Cadbury has run its popular Secret Santa campaign.

This is everything you need to know - and how you can send someone special in your life their favourite chocolate bar.

What is the Cadbury Secret Santa service?

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The Cadbury Secret Santa service allows members of the public to secretly send a chocolate lover in their life a free chocolate bar through the Cadbury Secret Santa Postal Service. This postal service comes in the form of a poster, which could either be digital or static, which features a QR code, with the campaign running from 14 November to 24 December.

Scan the QR code using your phone to open the Postal Service on your device, and from there you can send someone their favourite chocolate bar. If there’s one in stock, Cadbury will then send it to them for free. You’ll only have 10 minutes to complete your Secret Santa form, so make sure to keep an eye on how much time you have left. You’ll be given a five minute reminder which lets you know when half your time is up.

Your Secret Santa chocolate bar will be sent via Royal Mail post within two working days, although Cadbury says that a delivery date cannot be guaranteed and that you should allow up to two weeks for it to arrive.

Do you have someone you’d like to send some free chocolate to? (Photo: Cadbury)Do you have someone you’d like to send some free chocolate to? (Photo: Cadbury)
Do you have someone you’d like to send some free chocolate to? (Photo: Cadbury)

There are 120,000 bars on offer to send for free, subject to availability. If you miss out on the opportunity to send a free bar, you’ll have the option to enter into the special Cadbury prize draw to win one of 500 bars to send secretly to someone special. Winners of the prize draw will be announced via email on 5 January 2023, with the chosen few given two weeks to claim their prize.

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Emma Paxton, senior brand manager for Cadbury Christmas, said: “The rumours are true! Our much-loved Secret Santa ritual is back, and this year, it’s bigger than ever before. At Cadbury, we’re all about encouraging generosity – we believe there’s a bar and a half in everyone – so this year we wanted to make Secret Santa more accessible than ever and to spread that generosity across the nation.

“That’s why from today, you’ll see our postal service popping up on posters across the country, giving 120,000 people the opportunity to send chocolate secretly to a loved one this season. We hope that our campaign encourages the nation to get into the Christmas spirit and become a Secret Santa, helped of course by our wonderful postie Jeff.”

Where are the Cadbury postal services located?

The Cadbury postal posters are situated across the UK, with the Cadbury Secret Santa website stating that there are “220 popping up around the country” - however there isn’t a list you can check out to find where your nearest poster is, so you’ll just need to keep your eyes peeled. You’ll be able to find these posters in places like bus stops, shopping centres, train stations and high streets.

You’ll be able to find posters in locations like bus stops, train stations, shopping centres and the high street (Photo: Cadbury)You’ll be able to find posters in locations like bus stops, train stations, shopping centres and the high street (Photo: Cadbury)
You’ll be able to find posters in locations like bus stops, train stations, shopping centres and the high street (Photo: Cadbury)

For those super keen to send a secret chocolate bar, Cadbury has shared three locations that you can visit to increase your chances of finding a poster. You’ll need to head to these locations on 10 December, with the postal service open at midday and 3pm:

  • The Screen at Manchester One
  • The Northern Totem at Westfield London
  • The Totem at West Quay, Southampton 

What chocolate bars are included in the Secret Santa campaign?

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There are a range of Cadbury chocolate bars available to choose from, subject to availability, including the original Cadbury Dairy Milk bar (110g), and the Oreo (120g), Caramel (120g), Wholenut (120g), Fruit and Nut (110g) and Plant (90g) bars.

Various seasonal products available from the winter range will also be available, including Cadbury Dairy Milk Mini Snowballs bar (110g) and Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland bar (100g).

How do I scan the QR code?

If you’re not sure how to scan the QR code that’s found on the posters, then don’t worry - here’s a step by step guide.

If you have an iPhone, you’ll want to open up your camera and, using the rear facing camera (not the front facing selfie camera), hold the camera up to the QR code. Your phone will recognise that it’s looking at a QR code and will display a notification. Tap on that notification to open up the link to send your free chocolate.

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If you have an Android phone, the steps are more or less the same - open up your camera and point it at the QR code. You might need to hold down the QR code on your screen to have your phone register the code. A link will be generated as a result of the code and, again, if you tap on that you’ll be taken to the website to send your free bar of chocolate.

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