Nutella has confirmed that it has changed the recipe of its chocolate and hazelnut spread - sparking a huge backlash among fans of the brand.

 The maker of the spread, Ferrero, acknowledged it was adjusting its formula following a report by a German consumer group.

It was announced by the Hamburg Consumer Protection Centre's Facebook page that a jar of spread made by the Italian chocolate firm now contains 8.7 per cent powdered skim milk, as opposed to 7.5 per cent previously, based on an analysis of the product label.

'The quality ... and all the other characteristics of Nutella remain the same,' the company said.

The German subsidiary of Ferrero said it had made an 'adjustment' to the spread as many brands regularly do with their products.

Yet the consumer association noted that the colour of the spread had been made lighter due to the recipe change.

'As the colour of the new Nutella is lighter, we are working on the assumption that skimmed milk powder was added at the expense of cacao,' it said, noting that Ferrero is not required to disclose the amount of cacao in Nutella. 

Many Nutella-lovers took to social media to express their dismay the recipe of the chocolate spread had been altered. 

• Nutella changed the amount of powered skim milk from 7.5 to 8.3 per cent 
• The colour of Nutella has become lighter due to the change, consumer firm says
• The product change has sparked uproar among fans on social media