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NOT SO SWEET
M&S quietly axes much-loved sweets branded better than Percy Pigs
It's not the only treat to disappear from shelves recently
M&S has axed its popular range of Connie the caterpillar sweets - leading fans to beg for her return.
The retailer's Colin and Connie characters are better known as caterpillar cakes and - until recently - also had their own joint sweet range.
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But we can reveal that M&S has quietly axed its last Connie sweets during a confectionary relaunch, while at the same time adding in a new pack of Colin ones.
It means there are now at least 10 Colin-themed sweets in the caterpillar sweets range, with Connie totally eliminated, to the disappointment of fans.
There are also Colin lollies, biscuits and chocolates.
Last month it scrapped its Colin and Connie "Together Forever" sweets, leading one fan to comment online: "Sad that Colin and Connie are no longer Together Forever".
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The sweets in the Colin and Connie pack were fruit gums with a love heart in the middle.
A few years ago Connie also used to have her own packs of sweets, which were sour berry-flavoured gums, similar to M&S' Percy Pig Phizzy Pigtails.
Both of Connie's now-discontinued sweets earned rave reviews from shoppers, who have called for their return.
One said: "What happened to Connie the Caterpillar sweets? I can’t find them anywhere and they were SO good!"
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A second said: "Any plans to bring back the Connie curly berry gums @marksandspencer? They were my absolute favourite of your veggie range."
A third added: "Potentially an unpopular opinion but I think @marksandspencer Connie the Caterpillar sweets are better than Percy Pigs."
And a fourth added: "We all know that your lovely fruity sweets are a staple for runners, Colin and Connie are the best!"
When we approached M&S, the retailer said it was committed to Connie the caterpillar and she will be appearing in future product launches.
A spokeswoman said: "Our Connie and Colin sweets were discontinued in July 2024 as part of our confectionery relaunch, however within this relaunch we have a brand new product, Colin Party Time, bursting with six flavours in party theme shapes.
"We also have a full range of Colin sweets including our Colin Softies and Colin Fruit Gums.
"Colin is the original caterpillar character, so he is always going to show up more throughout our confectionery and bakery ranges.
"However we of course equally love Connie, she has her own cake and mini cakes and we hero Connie throughout seasonal campaigns where relevant e.g. our Mother's Day Connie and Colin and Connie Valentine's cakes etc.
"We're always exploring new ways to keep the Colin range relevant and Connie will appear in future launches we're working on so keep your eyes peeled!"
M&S sells more than 5million Colin and Connie the Caterpillar cakes every year, alongside 2.5 million mini Colin and Connie cakes.
In July M&S launched its biggest ever range of sweets including gourmet gummies and a chocolate coated fruit and nut selection.
The range included 30 new options and followed the launch of M&S' Big Daddy bar, which became a social media sensation recording a 500% increase in sales as a result.
Shoppers have been delt a series of blows in recent weeks as supermarkets and producers axe popular products.
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Heinz left shoppers gutted last week when it confirmed that a popular teatime favourite has been discontinued.
Lidl bakery has also confirmed that one of it's most popular bakery items is no longer available to buy.
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 a number of 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 an alternative that's cheaper, especially when costs are rising in order 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.
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