- Survey data from new online bingo brand Zingo Bingo has lifted the lid on the UK’s most-missed discontinued treats
- Milky Way Crispy Rolls (13.1%) topped the list as the chocolate Brits are most eager to see return, with Wispa Mint (12.2%) close behind in second place
- The results also uncover strong nostalgia for discontinued sweets and drinks, with a tropical fizzy drink emerging as the nation’s most-loved lost beverage
For those with a sweet tooth, nothing beats the taste of a favourite chocolate bar or bag of sweets. But for some Brits, a few discontinued treats still hold a special place, despite being off shelves for years.
Now, survey data from new online bingo brand Zingo Bingo has uncovered the nation’s most-loved discontinued chocolates, sweets, and drinks.
Surveying 2,000 people across the UK, the results found that Milky Way Crispy Rolls topped the list, with 1 in 8 respondents (13.1%) naming it as the chocolate they’d most like to see return. Known for its crunchy yet creamy texture, the bar was previously discontinued by Mars in 2022.
Close behind was Wispa Mint, the minty counterpart to the classic Wispa, with 12.2% of respondents calling for its return. Launched in 1995, the bubbly mint bar was discontinued in 2003.
Kit Kat Caramac, discontinued in 2023 after 64 years due to declining sales, came in joint third with 11.6% of the vote. Cadbury Dream and Fry’s 5 Centres shared fourth place, with just over 1 in 10 respondents (10.8%) hoping to see both bars back in shops.
Other nostalgic favourites included the Drifter Bar (10.7%), Toblerone Dark (9.7%), Cadbury Marble and Breakaway (both 9.7%).
Which discontinued chocolate bar would you most like to bring back?
When it came to sweets, the original Starburst, Opal Fruits, topped the list, with one in three Brits (33%) naming it as their favourite. First launched in the UK in 1960, the fruit-flavoured chews were rebranded in 1998, but nostalgia for the original name is still strong.
Polo Fruits, the ring-shaped boiled sweets from Nestlé, followed closely behind. Despite being discontinued in December 2023, they still proved popular, securing 30.6% of the vote.
Tooty Frooties, known for their crunchy shell and fruity centre, were chosen by more than a quarter of respondents (26.2%) as a sweet they’d like to see return. Meanwhile, Spangles claimed nearly one in five votes (22.9%), despite having been off shelves for more than four decades.
Rounding out the nation’s top five was Toffos, discontinued by Nestlé in 2008, which still earned 18% of the vote.
Which discontinued sweet would you most like to bring back?
For drinks, new online bingo brand Zingo Bingo found that over 1 in 4 (27%) were keen to see the original Lilt make a comeback. The tropical fizzy drink was officially discontinued in the UK in February 2023.
Coca-Cola Cherry Vanilla came in at 26%, while Sunny Delight made up the top three with 22%, having first appeared on the UK juice scene in 1998.
Fruit-flavoured versions of Diet Coke also proved popular, with Lime taking fourth place on 19% and Lemon in fifth at 18%, as respondents called for the return of the discontinued Coca-Cola options.
Zingo Bingo’s spokesperson Jack Watson said: “Certain foods and tastes have a unique way of triggering nostalgia, and it’s clear that even products that have disappeared from shelves decades ago still hold a strong place in people’s hearts. What the nation seems to be craving isn’t just food or drink, but the familiar tastes of the past.
“From the minty hit of a Wispa Mint to the refreshing taste of a Diet Coke, there’s a real comfort in the snacks and drinks many of us grew up with. They’re tied to memories and moments, offering a small sense of escapism. With Zingo Bingo’s survey results showing a strong appetite for the return of these discontinued favourites, let’s hope that brands revisit their archives and give some much-missed items a second chance on shelves in the year ahead.”
Which discontinued drink would you most like to bring back?
