There’s an infuriating reason why you never get so many of your favorite shocks in your party selection.

FINDING that your favorite festive shocks are all over on Boxing Day isn’t just bad luck. . . or Grandma being greedy.

It’s all part of smart marketing to get us to buy more goodies.

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Consumer expert Martyn James says, “There is a huge amount of scientific, psychological and behavioral studies with selection boxes.

“While chocolatiers will tell you that the more popular options are the most expensive to make, giving you a limited taste of the best ones means you’re more likely to want and want another box.

“Unpopular means the box stays on longer – which means you’re more likely to remember the brand.”

We found that a jar of Celebrations contains 12 Snickers and only six Galaxy Shocks.

And there are seven orange creams in a rose pot, but only four truffles.

Lynsey Hope lifts the veil on it.

CADBURY DAIRY MILK FREDDO & FRIENDS

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CONTAINS : 26 chocolates – four Buttons treats, eight Freddo Caramel, four Freddo, ten mini fudge

PRICE OF THE BOX (420g): £ 4

PRICE PER SHOCK: 15p

M&S FOOD OUR BIG SELECTION

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CONTAINS : 58 chocolates – four caramel hazelnuts, six truffle coffee, eight strawberry cream, four milk cream, six orange cream, four salted caramel, four caramel fudge, four caramel cookie, ten caramel cream, eight caramel éclairs.

BOX PRICE (650g): £ 5

PRICE PER SHOCK: 9p

NESTLE QUALITY STREET

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CONTAINS : 67 chocolates – five coconut éclairs, eight orange creams, four caramel swirls, eight strawberry delicacies, six blocks of milk chocolate, six fingers of caramel, six pennies of caramel, four green triangles, five orange chocolate crunches, ten fudge, five purples.

PRICE OF THE BOX (629g): £ 4

PRICE PER SHOCK: 6p

CADBURY CELEBRATIONS

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CONTAINS : 67 chocolates – five coconut éclairs, eight orange creams, four caramel swirls, eight strawberry delicacies, six blocks of milk chocolate, six fingers of caramel, six pennies of caramel, four green triangles, five orange chocolate crunches, ten fudge, five purples.

PRICE OF THE BOX (650g): £ 4

PSHOCK RICE: 6p

CADBURY HEROES

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CONTAINS : 63 chocolates – seven Caramel, five Twirls, eight Crunchies, eight Eclairs, eight Dinky Deckers, eight Creme Egg Twisted, seven Dairy Milk, five Wispa, six Fudge

PRICE OF THE BOX (600g): £ 4

PRICE PER SHOCK: 6.5p

LINDT LINDOR ASSORTED CHOCOLATE BOX

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CONTAINS : 36 truffles – 12 milk chocolate truffles, five salted butter caramel, five hazelnut truffles, five milk chocolate truffles filled with white, four dark chocolate truffles, five white chocolate truffles.

PRICE OF THE BOX (450g): £ 15

PRICE PER SHOCK: 42p

CADBURY ROSES

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CONTAINS : 58 chocolates – seven caramel, eight golden barrel, seven Dairy Milk, eight country fondant, seven orange cream, five dream strawberries, six swirl hazelnuts, six caramel hazelnuts, four signature truffles

BOX PRICE (600g): £ 4

PRICE PER SHOCK: 7p

NESTLE AFTER EIGHT

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CONTAINS : 48 identical chocolates after dinner mints

BOX PRICE (400g): £ 5

PRICE PER SHOCK: 10p