M&S has confirmed it has axed a beloved snack – particularly popular with a pint.
It came after a disgruntled shopper took to social media to inquire about its whereabouts.
They said on X: “@Marksandspencer have you stopped selling the Sweet Chilli Combo Mix snack?
“Been to several stores today and no sign of them. Please say they’ve not been discontinued!!”
The Sweet Chilli Combo Mix was a selection of crispy potato and corn snacks – which came in the shape of tubes, wheels and flat crisps.
Fans deemed them the perfect sweet and spicy morsel to enjoy alongside a cold drink.
But their worst fears were confirmed when M&S employee Simon weighed in on the thread.
He said: “It looks like we have discontinued this flavour, sorry about that.”
The posh supermarket also sells the Combo Mix in various other flavours – including Sour Cream and Jalapeno, Salt and Pepper and Four Cheese and Onion.
Plus, it has recently added a Barbecue flavour to the range.
A spokesperson told The Sun: “We are constantly reviewing, improving and refreshing our ranges across the Foodhall, reacting to the latest trends as well as customer feedback.
“We have just launched a better-than-ever selection of 26 new types of crisps and savoury snacks, with something for everyone – from our tasty new Barbecue Combo Mix to our new chicken curry-flavoured Extreme Ridge crisps where we’ve matched the flavour to our popular chicken korma in the M&S Foodhall.
“Although our Sweet Chilli Combo Mix is not currently available, we always listen to customer feedback when reviewing future ranges.”
The news comes after M&S shut a popular Foodhall branch in Wellington Street, Leeds earlier this month.
Customers rushed to share their disappointment, with one saying they were “devvoed”.
The retailer also closed its longstanding Crawley branch in November, with bosses blaming the closure on “changing shopping patterns”.
In better news, fans have spotted a Limited Edition Connie the Caterpillar chocolate cake released for this Mother’s Day.
The dessert is decorated with a pink crown on Connie’s head and pink crown sprinkles.
It is made of the same chocolate sponge as the original – but covered in a pink-coloured white chocolate buttercream and milk chocolate.
Why are products axed or recipes changed?
ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders.
Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether.
They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers.
There are several reasons why this could be done.
For example, government regulation, like the “sugar tax,” forces firms to change their recipes.
Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs.
They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable.
For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018.
It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version.
Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year.
Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks.
While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.
