- Caramac has been named as the discontinued treat the UK is most desperate to see back on the shelves, with over 15,600 searches a month regarding its disappearance
- Calippo Shots are a close second with over 15,500 searches, while the Mars Delight is in third with over 11,100 searches
- Searches for more than 30 discontinued sweet and savoury snacks were analysed to reveal the ranking
Brands regularly update their ranges, introducing new ranges or cutting those that no longer make a profit, but not every change is popular. When Lipton announced they were scrapping their peach iced tea, social media erupted in protest. While in this case it turned out to be an April Fool’s prank, for many Brits, the loss of their favourite treats is all too real.
Promotional products company Pens.com analysed searches for 31 discontinued treats and snacks to see which ones Brits most wanted to see return. Terms included “is [product] coming back,” “where to buy [product],” and “has [product] been discontinued.”
The top 10 treats Brits want back
| Rank | Product | Average number of monthly searches in the UK |
| 1 | Caramac | 15,681 |
| 2 | Calippo Shots | 15,593 |
| 3 | Mars Delight | 11,123 |
| 4 | Mars Planets | 7,984 |
| 5 | Spangles | 4,158 |
| 6 | Animal Bar | 3,682 |
| 7 | White Maltesers | 3,676 |
| 8 | Topic | 3,623 |
| 9 | Vice Versas | 2,102 |
| 10 | Dream | 2,027 |
Caramac tops the list as the number one treat Brits want to see return, with an average of 15,681 searches per month.
This caramel-flavoured bar was first produced by Mackintosh’s in 1959 and later by Nestlé. Although it was brought back for a limited period in July 2024, the bar was officially discontinued in 2023, following a “difficult decision” from Nestlé caused by low sales.
At the time the announcement was made, many people flocked to social media to express their disappointment, calling it a “national scandal.” The term “where to buy caramac” is searched an average of 177 times a month.
Calippo Shots are a close second, with an average of 15,593 searches per month.
Calippo Shots were a type of frozen dessert, made up of strawberry and lemon flavoured balls of ice in a shaker style container. They were discontinued in 2020, with no official reason given by the manufacturer.
In October 2022, one member of the public went as far as creating a petition to bring them back. The petition was rejected, as “decisions about what products to produce are a matter for individual food manufacturers, not the Government or Parliament.” The term “do Calippo Shots still exist” is searched an average of 22 times a month.
In third is Mars Delight, with an average of 11,123 searches a month.
Launched in 2004, the Mars Delight bar combined milk chocolate, caramel, and wafer, marketed as a lighter version of the original Mars Bar. Despite being one of the most popular chocolate bars at the time, the product was discontinued just four years later, with no reason given.
In 2016, Mars released a statement on X saying that the product was under “marketing review,” but nothing came of it. “Mars Delight for sale” has an average of 204 searches per month.
Mars Planets are in fourth, with an average of 7,984 searches a month.
Mars Planets were chocolate balls with three different fillings; nougat, caramel and biscuit. They were released in 2003 and, much like the Mars Delight, mysteriously vanished from shops four years later, once again with no reason given. The term “Mars Planets for sale” has an average of 11 searches per month.
In fifth are Spangles, with an average of 4,158 searches a month.
Another Mars product, Spangles were square, fruit flavoured boiled sweets that were introduced in 1950. They were first discontinued in the 1980s over concerns of tooth decay in children but were reintroduced in the 1990s. However, sales were low, and the sweets were discontinued again. The term “where to buy Spangles sweets” is searched an average of 304 times a month.
Sixth is the Animal Bar, with an average of 3,682 searches a month. The milk chocolate bar, famous for its animal designs moulded on the front, was discontinued alongside the Caramac bar in 2023. Nestlé cited “low performance of the product and a steady decline in its sales over the past few years” as the reason it was pulled from shelves.
White Maltesers are seventh, with an average of 3,676 searches a month. Covered in a layer of white chocolate as opposed to the original milk chocolate, White Maltesers were released in 2003 and discontinued in 2014. In 2017, a petition was started to bring them back but only received a small number of signatures. “Where to buy White Maltesers” is searched an average of 102 times a month.
The Topic bar is eighth, with an average of 3,623 searches a month. The hazelnut, nougat and caramel filled bar was first taken out of boxes of Celebrations in 2006 before being discontinued completely in 2021. Lovers of the bar claimed to have not known about its disappearance.
Vice Versas are ninth, with an average of 2,102 searches a month. Vice Versas were small, Minstrel-like chocolates, with one version being milk chocolate encased in a white sugar coating and the other being white chocolate in a brown coating. They were axed due to low sales.
Rounding out the top 10 treats Brits want back is the Dream bar, with an average of 2,027 searches a month. The white chocolate bar from Cadbury was first released in 2002 but was discontinued after just a few years. Cadbury released a new range called Cadbury White in 2019, but many fans of the original Dream bar claim it’s not the same.
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from Pens.com said, “These results show the powerful connection Brits have with treats from their past. It proves that brands could reconnect with loyal customers by bringing back these much-missed items, even as limited editions.
“For many of these products, it’s been multiple years, in some cases decades, since they were last available to buy, yet searches remain high. The cultural impact food has should not be underestimated.”