@
ArishMellnot a matter of "good" or "bad"
I'm not so sure. The US doesn't really have much of a tradition of chocolate bars or confectionery in general compared to Europe. There is also the question of what actually counts as chocolate. Much of what is sold in the US could not legally be described as chocolate in Europe. In the UK milk chocolate must have almost as much cocoa as dark chocolate must in the US.
In the US:
Milk chocolate must contain at least 10% cocoa solids, while dark chocolate must contain at least 35% cocoa solids.
https://www.digicomply.com/blog/the-sweet-truth-understanding-the-fda-chocolate-regulations
In the UK:
(3) The reserved descriptions “chocolate”, “milk chocolate” and “couverture chocolate” may be supplemented by information or descriptions relating to quality criteria provided that the product contains —
(a)in the case of the reserved description “chocolate”, not less than 43 per cent total dry cocoa solids, including not less than 26 per cent cocoa butter;
(b)in the case of the reserved description “milk chocolate”, not less than 30 per cent total dry cocoa solids and not less than 18 per cent dry milk solids obtained by partly or wholly dehydrating whole milk, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, cream, or from partly or wholly dehydrated cream, butter or milk fat, including not less than 4.5 per cent milk fat;
https://www.digicomply.com/blog/the-sweet-truth-understanding-the-fda-chocolate-regulations
(c)in the case of the reserved description “couverture chocolate”, not less than 16 per cent dry non-fat cocoa solids.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1659/regulation/6/made
In Norway
4. Melkesjokolade
a. Betegner et produkt fremstilt av kakaoprodukter, sukker og melk eller melkeprodukter som – med unntak av bokstav b inneholder:
- minst 25% kakaotørrstoff
- minst 14% melketørrstoff fremstilt ved hel eller delvis dehydrering av helmelk, lettmelk, skummetmelk, fløte, smør eller melkefett
- minst 2,5% avfettet kakaotørrstoff
- minst 3,5% melkefett
- minst 25% fettstoffer totalt (kakaosmør og melkefett).
https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2002-09-09-986/KAPITTEL_1#KAPITTEL_1
In English
In Norway
4. Milk chocolate
a. Denotes a product made from cocoa products, sugar and milk or milk products which – with the exception of letter b – contains:
- at least 25% cocoa solids
- at least 14% milk solids produced by full or partial dehydration of whole milk, skimmed milk, skimmed milk, cream, butter or milk fat
- at least 2.5% defatted cocoa solids
- at least 3.5% milk fat
- at least 25% fat in total (cocoa butter and milk fat).
https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2002-09-09-986/KAPITTEL_1#KAPITTEL_1
My quick search didn't turn up an easily digested set of rules for the EU.
