Nestle SA is changing the packaging of Smarties for the first time since the candy was introduced almost 70 years ago, ditching the cardboard tube in favor of a hexagonal one. Crucially, the change will see the end of the plastic lid with embossed letter, according to today’s Metro, something that left a couple of my colleagues aghast. Scotsman article here.
I suggested to one of my coworkers that he start a grassroots coalition to complain, for which I proposed the name of Smarties Hexagonal Action Group, or SHAG.
Yeah, but the experience of eating them didn’t change. Smarties aren’t Smarties if they’re not in a tube! THIS IS MY CHILDHOOD THEY’RE STEALING!
I shall be stockpiling Smarties tubes, so that when this indecent and apalling change occurs, I can decant my Smarties into them and enjoy my multi-coloured candy-coated chocolate beans in the way God intended.
This was on Radio 4 this morning. Appparently they feel that Smarties are seen as a toddlers’ sweetie and putting them in a new box will appeal to older children and up.
Nor sure why. Many years ago, you could buy them in rectangular cigarette style boxes – always for me associated with going to the cinema, maybe the only place these were on sale – which obviously never caught on. And of course treat size come in little tiny boxes. What could say “toddler” more than treat size chocolate?
Anyway within minutes emails from aghast “Today” listeners were coming in. Perhaps it’s just a publiscity stunt and after a decent period they will revert back to the original. Remember the Coco-pops/Choco Crispies vote?
Do you think that what that was? I was always unsure whether it was planned from the very beginning or whether it was just a case of bowing to unexpected public outrage after making an ill-informed decision.
Before taking the lid (with the letter embossed on it) away to join the rest of my collection, I squeeze the tube to make it pop off and fly across the room (or at least half a meter) Can hexagonal tubes do the same?! I think not…
Actually, it is one of the few things I knew without having to look it up - though I did check of course before taking the plunge with all the pedants around. I once drove through the streets of Plumstead and Erith flogging Branston Pickle, Chef Square Soup, Libby’s Peach Slices (and Halves), Nescafe and Milky Bars to the Royal Arsenal Cooperative Society.
Yes, since you enquire, it was a stimulating and rewarding job, and I was much in demand from friends who wanted a little Condensed Milk on the side.
Will you still be able to poke the bottom out and blow the top off? That’s important.
Any reason why they’re doing it? Could it be to save space during shipping? Spam comes in square cans because they could pack more of them into a given space than they could round ones.
But there was a war on.
I suppose it’s just… change for the sake of change. Maybe Blair’s ordered it.
Why do they keep buggering about with our sweets? Wagon wheels used to be MUCH bigger - and so did milky ways. What happened to Spangles ? and why do you only see those really big Toblerones at airports (and who buys them, and why/)
The ability to blast the lid off a Smarties tube across a room should never be taken away.
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Quite. Its just wrong. Incidentally, if you take a Smarties (or a Pringles) tube, put a bit of liquid Nitrogen in it, and put the lid back on, the lid will blast up rather satisfyingly.
