Have you had a Dove Bar lately? (Ice cream, not soap.) Did you ever have one of the originals, from the 1980s? Then you realize that the current Dove Bars are a pale shadow of their former selves. Today’s are less than half the size of the early ones, and the chocolate coating is thinner.
I remember when eating a Dove Bar was a real exercise in excess. They were huge! And the coating was very thick. The package was a little cardboard box that could be turned into a tray through which you could poke the stick, so as to catch the big chunks of chocolate that inevitably fell off as you endeavored to consume the confection.
By contrast, the Dove Bars of today are little more than glorified Good Humor Bars. Yes, the chocolate is very good, and thicker than most other ice cream bars. But the whole experience is such a letdown from the splendor that was once the Dove Bar that it’s a little depressing.
How did it happen? I’ve read a little of the history of the Dove Bars, and it seems the original company was bought by Mars some time ago, but I think the change came well after the acquisition.
Did people complain that they were too big? Who were these people? Americans complaining of portions being too large? It seems inconceivable.
Or was this a slimy corporate plot to downsize the product while continuing to charge the same unit price? Did they shrink slowly over the years, or in one or two discrete jumps?
I still enjoy eating them, and I’m often tempted to eat two at once to recreate the good old days. I usually resist, but every time I do, I wish I could still get the old style big ones.