A childhood favourite for many, Nestle have announced the discontinuation of the Animal Bar after 60 years.
The bar was a staple for birthday parties or just as a treat in the shop for many growing up, with colourful packaging and a game inside each wrapper. The bar also featured two different named animals moulded into the chocolate.
Nestle confirmed the decision to The Irish Times, and said: “We have seen a decline in the sales of Animal Bars over the past few years and unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to discontinue them.
“We know fans will be disappointed to see them go, but this move enables us to focus on our best-performing brands, as well as develop exciting new innovations to delight consumers’ taste buds.”
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As well as the Animal Bar, Nestle confirmed it will also be discontinuing the caramel-flavoured Caramac bar after 64 years.
They said falling sales are behind its decision to stop producing the confectionery, which was launched in the UK in 1959 by original manufacturer Mackintosh.
The firm said in a statement: “We are very sorry to disappoint fans of Caramac. There has been a steady decline in its sales over the past few years and unfortunately we had to make the difficult decision to discontinue it.”
The bar was produced in Norwich until 1996, when it moved to Nestle’s factory in Fawdon, near Newcastle upon Tyne.
Nestle, whose headquarters are in Switzerland, confirmed last year that it planned to close the Fawdon site and move production overseas.
The decision to discontinue the bars sparked a flurry of social media posts, with one fan posting to X, formerly Twitter: “What. Please. God. No! Nestle please tell me you’re not ditching #caramac it’s the only ‘chocolate’ I eat! Don’t let it disappear! I love the stuff!!”
Others wrote: “This is a national scandal, how can they get rid of Caramac?” and “I know a lot is made about how the Brits don’t get upset about anything, but the ire being levelled at @NestleUKI for getting rid of #Caramac shows there’s fight in the old dog yet.”
While many British consumers have expressed disappointment over the announcement about the Caramac bar, Irish social media users have showed more concern over the Animal Bar, with one person on X calling it “a dark day”.
“I’ve woken to the news that the Animal bar will soon be extinct. It brings back fond memories from my childhood, and I know of no other chocolate bar that cracks in the same deliciously satisfying way,” another said.
Nestle have assured fans that the Animal Bar will be available in shops while stocks last, so those hoping to get one last taste are encouraged to pick one up before they disappear. – Additional reporting from PA
