People in Yorkshire would break the law to get their hands on chocolate

Chocoholics in Yorkshire and the Humber would go to almost any lengths to get their hand on a bar of chocolate, including flouting the law if they had to, according to a new British Heart Foundation survey.

The figures show that 750,000 chocolate lovers  (17% of the population) in the region would be willing to break the law if there was a ban or ration on chocolate by importing chocolate illegally or buying it off the black market. Around 120,000 (3% of the population) say they would leave the

country for good.

The figures, unveiled as part of the charity's Dechox campaign to highlight the UK's obsession with cocoa. Over a third (35%) of people claim that nothing would make a ban on chocolate acceptable, even saving the planet.

A fifth (20%) revealed if a complete ban was imposed, they couldn't cope for more than two days without their cocoa fix, while around 700,000 people (16%) said they would pay more than £20 for a small chocolate bar if it was a heavily rationed.

The region's chocolate passion is clear to see, with over two fifths of adults (22%) indulging in chocolate two to three times a week.

But such is the region's chocolate obsession that even eating it isn't enough. Over two in five (42%) people in Yorkshire and the Humber admit to watching a chocolate bar advert to get a fix and a third (31%) confess to watching other people eat chocolate to satisfy their cravings.

For many, their chocolate obsession is a source of secrecy, with over half (51%) of people admitting to hiding their chocolate at home away from prying eyes. Furthermore, around half of people in Yorkshire and the Humber (47%) have waited until a partner, family member or friend

has left the room before eating chocolate and two fifths (40%) have hidden chocolate wrappers to disguise how much they've eaten.

Some chocoholics have tried to curb their sweet tooth with around a fifth (18%) of people in Yorkshire and the Humber admitting to trying to give it up at some point. Unbelievably, a quarter of people would find it easier to give up social media (24%) or Netflix (21%) than chocolate and around one in ten (8%) confessed they would find it easier to give up seeing their friends.

The BHF is urging the UK's choccy fanatics to put their will power to the test by giving up chocolate and getting sponsored for the month of  February to raise money for life saving research into heart and circulatory disease. Anything with cocoa in it is off limits ' from the sprinkles on

your cappuccino, to that 3pm chocolate bar.

Dan Field, Head of Dechox at the British Heart Foundation, said: 

'It's no surprise to learn that we're a nation of chocolate lovers but it was startling to see the law-breaking lengths people in Yorkshire and the Humber will go to get their chocolate fix.

'Dechox is the perfect challenge for chocoholics up and down the UK to put their will power to the test. It's important to remember that Dechox is a bit of fun but it could be a great way to help cut your chocolate cravings and fund the British Heart Foundation's vital research into heart and

circulatory conditions, which affects around 580,000 people in Yorkshire and the Humber.'

Send chocolate packing and challenge yourself to a Dechox this February. Give up chocolate for a month, and raise funds for our life saving research. Find out more at: www.bhf.org.uk/dechox