# Are M&Ms sloppier then they used to be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230 "2009-04-24T16:15:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/1 "2009-04-24T16:15:10Z")
I have childhood memories of opening up a bag of M&Ms to find a handful of perfect ellipses, each with a neatly printed M on top. Right now I have in front of me a handful of approximately ellipse shaped objects. Some with no printing, some with smudged or partial Ms. A few with neat Ms. In addition, there is: 1 broken piece (snapped off) 1 piece that looks like a broken half, but the candy wrapping around at least part of all sides says that it didn’t break in transit. 1 piece shaped vaguely like an orange slice. Also fully encased in it’s shell, with a partial M on it. Even the complete candy pieces aren’t the perfect shapes I remember. They are lumpy, uneven shapes. Any ideas what the change is? Or is it my memory going? ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/2 "2009-04-24T16:17:41Z")
I remember this happening all the time, especially the partial Ms. I dont think its anything new. Perhaps the adult in you is better at noticing details or caring about candy quality. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/3 "2009-04-24T16:37:22Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > Even the complete candy pieces aren’t the perfect shapes I remember. They are lumpy, uneven shapes. Maybe you have a bag of peanut m&ms. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/4 "2009-04-24T16:54:12Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > … memories … of perfect ellipses… [Oblate spheroids](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblate_spheroid) I think. I don’ know about misshapen ones, but I think I’ve always found some that were cut in half. I assume from some kind of gate closing on them. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/5 "2009-04-24T17:35:15Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Maybe you have a bag of peanut m&ms. \ Always possible. ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/6 "2009-04-24T17:45:03Z")
Just chiming in to say that I’ve always noticed faded/non printed m’s and partial pieces in my m&m bags, going back 20 years. Let me also mention that the OP’s name is amusing given the context of the question. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/7 "2009-04-24T17:49:47Z")
Eponysterical! ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/8 "2009-04-24T20:17:55Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Maybe you have a bag of peanut m&ms. Just because this is the Dope, I double checked. Nope, no peanuts. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/9 "2009-04-24T21:09:12Z")
I had a similar problem with a bag of Necco candy hearts for Valentine’s Day this year. Half of the hearts had illegible words or no words at all printed on them. I should have complained to the company, similar to how I once complained to Brach’s that a bag of THEIR hearts didn’t have enough green ones. I got a couple of coupons for free Brach’s candy out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/10 "2009-04-25T02:57:59Z")
Quality control is shot to heck. I just checked a pack and half of them were W’s. ---
**Author:** ![Qwakkeddup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Qwakkeddup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwakkeddup)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/11 "2009-04-25T05:17:18Z")
Note to self, reading the dope while eating Doritos is not recommended. (cough, cough) and ouch! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/12 "2009-04-25T06:30:36Z")
Possibly you live in a warmer locale than you did when you were a child? (Or possibly the manufacture of M&Ms was off-shored to someplace warmer?) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/13 "2009-04-25T17:44:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Quality control is shot to heck. I just checked a pack and half of them were W’s. Thank you, thank you, thank you… for making my day! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/14 "2009-04-25T21:02:42Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Thank you, thank you, thank you… for making my day! Yep, one of those moments that make you wish there was a “rimshot” smilie/sound effect thingy… ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/15 "2009-04-26T09:47:36Z")
I have noticed this too. Mars used to be FANATICAL about quality, but I think as their business has grown over the years, the quality has slipped. Mostly the candies are still just as tasty, so I don’t mind the occasional hiccup in the form. I have noticed that the peanut variety seems to be using smaller and lower quality peanuts, sometimes the peanut has an off-flavor. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/16 "2009-04-27T01:29:42Z")
Apparently they don’t respond to [natural selection](http://norealtopic.blogspot.com/2007/06/m-natural-selection.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/17 "2009-04-27T14:22:24Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Quality control is shot to heck. I just checked a pack and half of them were W’s. That’s the memorial edition for the former president. You must have bought old stock. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/18 "2009-04-27T15:38:18Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > Yep, one of those moments that make you wish there was a “rimshot” smilie/sound effect thingy… [http://instantrimshot.com/](http://instantrimshot.com/)🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/19 "2009-04-27T16:32:15Z")
And worst of all, they DO melt in your hand. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230/20 "2009-04-27T16:40:41Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > And worst of all, they DO melt in your hand. This is what I thought the OP would be about. I’ve been having that problem lately, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-m-ms-sloppier-then-they-used-to-be/494230.md?page=2)