Sparkle debacle

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Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:00a.m.

Cadbury-Schweppes' decision to stop making a range of well known Kiwi lollies has run into some unexpected opposition.

The ‘Sugar Liberation Army’ is protesting outside Dunedin's Cadbury factory tonight in a battle to bring back snifters, sparkles and tangy fruits.

They are sweet treats of many a Kiwi childhood.  But soon sparkles, snifters and tangy fruits will be no more.  Cadbury-Schweppes stopped production of the lollies back in June, saying they weren't selling well enough.

But with the last of the stock selling out, a group of Dunedin sweet-tooths are fighting back.

“We feel that there has been an injustice committed by Cadbury by taking away three iconic confectionary lines.  We thought it was time to take it to the streets to let people know its not ok,” says Leigh Patterson.

They call themselves the Sugar Liberation Army, and they have launched "operation tang," saying it is time to stand up to the corporates.

“Maybe with a little people power we can resurrect these dead confectionary lines,” says Patterson.

And they are not alone in their sentimentality towards the sniff.

“They've been pretty disappointed and most customers have been stockpiling they know in a months time they won't be able to purchase them anymore,” says Dairy owner Murray Devereaux.

Movie goers are also disappointed, aside from popcorn, tangy fruits have been one of the most popular treats at the flicks for more than 20 years.

“Customers are a little disgruntled that they are not available for them to purchase and can't see why Cadbury have stopped a line that they obviously enjoy,” says Rebecca King, of Hoyts.

Online opportunists are already taking advantage.  Tangy fruits and sparkles are being auctioned on TradeMe, while candy lovers from around the globe are joining facebook groups to save the sweets.

But Cadbury-Schweppes says once they are gone that is it.

“The sales over a significant period of time have dropped off to the point that those products are no longer financially viable for us to produce,” says Daniel Ellis, of Cadbury-Schweppes.

Cadbury says tastes have changed and while people are nostalgic about the sweets, they just don't buy them anymore.

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Comments

08 Oct 2008 01:07p.m.

anita wrote:

Oh my goodness get over it.It's a lollie. More important things going on in the world.

03 Oct 2008 11:49a.m.

Pat, Tauranga wrote:

what a great guerilla marketing campaign?????????????

03 Oct 2008 12:47a.m.

Simon Robson wrote:

Living in London the Sparkle debacle will soon be known to every kiwi! As every kiwi event you go to there is a buzz of aniticipation....the kiwi shop that always has sparkle, snifter, k-bars etc. This story makes me feel sad that I could soon loose a part of my NZ childhood forever! And my parents will no longer be able to send me over a little reminder of home! I vote that sparklers, snifters + fruit tangs shold be added to the historic items list by the governement!!

02 Oct 2008 11:58p.m.

Natasha wrote:

Snifters, Tangy Fruits are the best thing, and a NZ Icon (like Pavlova and Hokey Pokey icecream) - it's things like this that make us appreciate home.
I am living in the UK and am having family members post some over before it's too late.
Please do not get rid of these important NZ sweets. They mean so much to those that grew up on them.

02 Oct 2008 09:29p.m.

tuaia wrote:

i love sparkles! they remind me of my childhood! and snifters at the movies not to forget tangy fruits. this is just not on peoples!!!

02 Oct 2008 09:24p.m.

NERALEE wrote:

Who says that New Zealander's don't buy snifters sparkles and tangy fruits? I grew up eating these lollies and love eating lollies full stop. Funnily enough I was at pak n save today buying lollies from the bulk bins and saw that there were no hard boiled lollies. There was a what they called a movie mix which was a mixture of pebbles and jube lollies. I am kinda fussy on what types of lollies I buy and am particularly fond of snifters and tangy fruits they are the only hard lollies that I would even consider putting in a bulk lolly mix bin. Not all of us New Zealanders like eating jube and jelly lollies remember that. And why is that the only likable hard lollies that are a real New Zealand Icon have to go. Where else in the world can you buy a snifter, and tangy fruits, for god sake its just as much as an NZ Icon as our pineapple lumps. Believe me my friends from OZ and Spain still crave for tangy fruits and snifters, now that's saying something. Not a good feeling to come back from overseas and find the comforts of home have been taken away.