CHOC SHOCK
Nestle confirms it is discontinuing rare KitKat chocolate bar after shoppers spot it missing from shelves
Scroll down to find out what chocolate bars are discontinued
NESTLE has confirmed it is discontinuing a rare KitKat bar and shoppers have been left gutted.
The chocolate maker is axing its Vegan bar from shelves due to dwindling demand from customers.
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A spokesperson for Nestle said: "Unfortunately, global demand has been reducing to the point that production was making manufacturing more and more complex and we have now made the difficult decision to discontinue the product."
The spokesperson added the bar will still be available to buy in the UK and Republic of Ireland until summer.
The 41.5g four-finger bar is still in stock on the Morrisons, Asda and Tesco websites for £1.
News the dairy-free choc is facing the chop has been met with disappointment from some shoppers.
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Posting on the Vegan Food UK Facebook page, one said: "No it can’t be true!
"Why is getting harder to be vegan as the years go on and not easier!!"
A second frustrated shopper added: "Ridiculous, they are awesome and better for the planet!"
A third chimed in: "Nooo! I love these, so do my kids!"
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The KitKat Vegan bar launched for the first time in February 2021, promising shoppers the "perfect balance between crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love".
It came as Nestle said it had found customers were more interested in trying plant-based foods.
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At the time, Alexander von Maillot, head of confectionery, said: "There is a quiet food revolution underway that is changing how people eat.
"We want to be at the forefront of that, championing the discovery of plant-based food and beverages.
"What better way to do that than offering a vegan version of one of our most famous and much-loved brands?"
OTHER DISCONTINUED CHOCOLATES
Manufacturers often discontinue products if their popularity among shoppers declines.
Nestle axed its iconic Caramac bar in November 2023, citing low sales for the "difficult decision".
However, the move to stop producing the caramel-flavoured bar was slammed by customers, with one branding it a "bl**dy travesty".
Another said: "No way! I buy these every week! So disappointed! Why do they get rid of the good ones?"
Some shoppers even suggested getting a petition together to get Nestle to bring the chocolate back.
In November, Cadbury confirmed it had discontinued Dairy Milk Winter Orange Crisp from shelves ahead of Christmas.
Shoppers labelled the 360g bar "delicious" but the chocolatier announced the bar had been withdrawn from shops to make way for more flavours.
Last September, Cadbury confirmed it had stopped making Festive Friends - bite-sized milk chocolate-covered biscuits come shaped like festive characters including Santa, snowmen and penguins.
One shopper said the move to discontinue the popular chocolate snack had "ruined" Christmas.
The good news is, sometimes discontinued chocolate bars do make their way back onto shelves.
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Iceland confirmed Milky Way Crispy Rolls are back on sale from February 4 for one week only across its stores and at The Food Warehouse branches.
Shoppers can also pick up the chocolates, which started disappearing from shelves three years ago, on Iceland's website.
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.
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