11 Products That Have Surprisingly Changed Over Time

We all have our favorite products we buy each time we go to a supermarket. Although the way the products look or even their price seems to stay the same for a substantial amount of time, this is only an illusion. Many brands regularly introduce subtle changes in size or formulas to save money or meet new governmental guidelines.

We at Bright Side compiled a list of such products. Pay attention to them next time you go to a supermarket, and try not to miss when the size of your favorite product shrinks or the taste slightly changes yet another time. Read the list till the end to find out whether fast food chains employ the same strategy.

1. Nutella

Fans of Nutella all around the world were outraged when the news spread over the Internet that Nutella had changed its original formula. Nutella now contains more powdered skimmed milk (8.7% vs.7.5%) and more sugar (56.3 % vs. 55.9%). Following the new recipe, the color became lighter. A spokesperson for Ferrero, maker of Nutella, confirmed the change and reassured the fans that the quality of the product remained the same, but customers are still grieving about the change in their beloved product.

2. Toblerone

The fact that the makers of Toblerone, Mondelez International, have increased the gap between the peaks in their famous chocolate bar, did not go unnoticed among the fans. The company explained that this UK-only measure was introduced due to a rise in the cost of ingredients. The weights of the chocolate bars decreased as a result: the 400g bar now weighs 360g, while the 170g bar has been reduced to 150g.

3. Tea brands

When the amount of tea bags in the pack decreases from 80 to 75, it is difficult to notice. What is even more difficult to see is when tea companies reduce the amount of tea in their tea bags. While the company attempts to justify the change by claiming introducing a new brew, what is important is that the price stays the same in both cases.

4. Fanta

In the spring this year, Fanta introduced the change to its recipe. The customers noticed both the change in the way the bottle looks and the drink’s taste. The soft drink now has 33% less sugar, and, as a result, contains much more artificial sweeteners. While fans massively expressed their discontent, a Fanta spokesperson said that they were pleased by the response from the customers to the new look and taste.

5. Subway

Sometimes changes in the formula are caused by a campaign introduced by the customers. In 2014, Subway removed a “yoga-mat” chemical- azodicarbonamide- from their sandwich bread as a result of a petition launched on FoodBabe.com. In 2015, the company went further and announced that it had plans to remove all artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives from its menu items without compromising the taste.

6. Nescafe coffee

In August 2015, Nescafe owner Nestle announced a “new and improved” Nescafe instant coffee. The change was not accepted by the life-long fans. They claimed that the newly- introduced instant coffee tastes like a dishwasher. A Nestle spokesman said that the change in the recipe reflects the wish of their customers for a “fuller flavour”.

7. Mars and Snickers

Mars and Snickers have been getting reduced in size multiple times already, while the price remained the same. This reduction was claimed to be an essential measure to help in a fight against obesity. This shrinkage is likely to continue as Mars announced that they are committed to making half of their goods come in under 200 calories by 2022.

8. Creme eggs

Fans of Creme Eggs by Cadbury were dismayed when Dairy Milk in the recipe was changed with cheaper chocolate. A spokesman for Mondelez claimed that the new recipe was pre-tested with consumers, and a standard cocoa mix chocolate was found to be the best one for Creme Eggs. Yet, the change resulted in massive losses for the company. To make matters worse, the number of Creme Eggs in a pack was reduced in 2015.

9. Cadbury chocolate

Another way to reduce the size of the product is to use rounded chunks instead of the square ones, as it was done in Dairy Milk chocolate by Cadbury. As if this wasn’t enough, the same company reduced the size of their pack of Chocolate Fingers by two fingers, and stated that it remains up to supermarkets whether the price is reduced or not.

10. Personal hygiene products

According to the research conducted by Which?, size shrinkage also pervaded such products as toothpaste and toilet paper rolls. The tube of Sensodyne Total Care Extra Fresh toothpaste decreased in size from 100ml to 75ml (25%), while a standard Andrex four-pack toilet roll had been cut down from 240 to 221 sheets (8%). The price of both is claimed to remain the same.

11. McDonald’s hamburgers

The options of food servings in fast food chains has certainly increased over the years. The amount of calories in cheeseburger has increased dramatically over 20 years from 333 calories to 590 because of the presence of a “supersize” option. Yet, some consumers have concerns that the normal-sized Big Macs have gotten smaller over the years.

While McDonald’s claim that their burger sizes have not changed an inch, there are some interesting videos online suggesting quite the opposite.

Have you also noticed any of these changes? Do you think they should’ve happened, or should manufacturers be scolded for them? Share your opinion in the comments.