Former Lancastrian

As its that time of year perhaps 1 or 2 BE members might be purchasing or receiving a tin/box of Cadbury Roses to snack on over the festive season.

Well be prepared for a shock. The company has changed the wrappers from sweetie-style twist-wraps to uniform “flow wraps” that have to be torn, rather than twisted, open.
OK #2016 I could just about take Brexit, Trump, all the dead musicians, the Euros ... but changing the wrappers on Roses? Final straw baby!

After being established in 1824 Cadbury's became one of the UK's most successful companies. It operated in over 50 countries and became one of the best known British brands. It has held Royal warrants from both Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II.

So what has happened to this once great British company?
In its earlier years it merged with J. S. Fry & Sons. In 1969 it merged with Schweppes and in 2010 the company sold its soul to Kraft Foods who are now known as Mondelez International who are a US owned company. Needless to say its all gone downhill since.

In 2003, Cadbury dropped the 's' from its name and renamed the brand to Cadbury.

From a tweet
They've made all the Roses the same shape. And I'm colourblind. Worst year ever.
The company has already faced the wrath of traditionalists after rounding the corners on Dairy Milk bars, substituting a cheaper chocolate for Dairy Milk in its Creme Eggs and stopping production of its chocolate coins. At least the new wrappers can’t be screwed up and put back in the box, which, according to some fans, is the ultimate sin:
In 2011 a tub of Roses went from 975g to 850g, in 2015 it moved down to 777g and when the new tub was released it went to 748g.

Well Cadbury Im now pledging my allegiance to Quality Street. At least the Swiss still know how to make chocolate.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...anges-wrappers

magnumpi

OMG is nothing sacred today !!! Is it because it's PC to have every flavour in a similar wrap, someone must have complained that some flavours have a better wrap than others and all must be equal during the holiday period of holiday time seasons gifting day festivities

Former Lancastrian

In a statement, the company said: “As a result of a multimillion pound investment in manufacturing, consumers will see a much-improved level of quality. We appreciate there’s some nostalgia for the twist wrap but quality must come first and we know consumers will appreciate the steps we’ve taken to protect each favourite and keep them fresh.”
At the time of the relaunch, Cadbury’s Tony Bilsborough said the company had changed the wrappers because “the quality of twist wrap was just not up to scratch”. He added: “Time and again we were getting complaints that the twist wrap was becoming undone, or the entire wrapper itself was appearing empty in the box.” It was the No 1 complaint, he said.

Kin hell a multi million pound investment to change the wrapper?

Shakyuk

The Cadbury's thing is typical of the UK. Anything that is good is eventually sold to a foreign company, most often American.

I see it so often in engineering, an American corporation comes in, buys a company for it's patents and clients. Sacks everyone, closes the company in the UK and takes manufacturing to Asia and assembly to the US. It's a shame so many British prefer to quick quid.

Snowy560

I heard about something to do with Cadburys from friends in the UK over a Skype chat this morning. Apparently all the chocolates taste different from what they used to taste like. And my friends said something about the Roses wrappers as well (about the twisting thing).

As an aside: is it me or is it really the case that similar brands in the UK (like aero) etc taste quite different (yuk!) here? Before these recent Cadbury(s) changes I mean.

S

Teaandtoday5

Sweets n general have been on a downhill slide since the caramel in Rolos was changed a few years back. It seems as though British Cadbury's (I can't say it without the s although it is apparently officially dropped) doesn't taste any better than the version on this side of the Atlantic anymore.

I've never thought the Mars etc taste any different here, but I don't like Aeros so I don't know about them

The plague of palm oil seems to be gradually ruining chocolate, I've even had to give up on the travesty that chocolate oranges gave become.

Never thought I'd say this, but I struggle to find chocolate worth eating anymore.

BristolUK

Peppermint Aeros, Cadbury Fruit and Nut, After Eights, Mars...they all taste as good as ever to me.

Pulaski

Or German, or French, or Indian, or Chinese or ..... It's no wonder British manufacturing is in the crapper - whenever a company gets big enough to develop a global presence it is sold to the highest bidder.

Stinkypup

I'm happy, Santa brought us each one of these -
British- I just had the "Finger of fudge is good enough to give your kids/pups a treat"

It was scrummy!

Tootlepootle

Wasn't the song "A finger of fudge is just enough to give your kids diarrohea"?!

Stinkypup

Not in my innocent childhood...

Shard

That is a phenomenon. Maybe it's because Britain is too wedded to history and tradition to make the changes required in a globalized world. Using the Cadbury example (not ideal, but...) the changes to wrappers haven't happened here despite the commercial sense, because the British management are too wedded to tradition, and the way have things have always been. Similar argument for the third runway, decades of discussion and another decade or two more until the country finally builds something China would build in a month.

BristolUK

Maybe I'm missing your point but chocolate bar wrappers have changed in appearance and design a lot over the years.
Almost all choc bars had very thin foil and then a paper sleeve but they changed to an all in one wrapper decades ago.

Same for things like Sherbet Fountains.

Not to mention brand name changes like Marathon to Snickers and Opal Fruits to Starburst.

Stinkypup

And you can't suck the sherbet up the stick of liquorice any more
I still call them Opal fruits

BristolUK

Snortng white powder wasn't really my thing but I was partial to chewing baccy