A sudden void has appeared on supermarket shelves, sparking panic and confusion among devoted fans. The burning question on everyone’s lips is: Why Have They Stopped Making Irn Bru? It seems unthinkable, a national treasure disappearing into thin air. Let’s delve into the rumours and realities behind this fizzy phenomenon.
Unraveling the Irn-Bru Disappearance
The truth is, they haven’t *completely* stopped making Irn-Bru. What people are likely noticing, and what’s fueled the rumors, is a change in the recipe and subsequently, the taste. This change happened due to the UK government’s Sugar Tax, implemented in 2018. This tax aimed to combat rising obesity rates by incentivizing manufacturers to reduce the sugar content in their drinks. The original Irn-Bru recipe contained a significant amount of sugar, making it subject to the tax.
Rather than paying the tax, AG Barr, the makers of Irn-Bru, opted to reformulate the recipe, reducing the sugar content by over 50%. This involved replacing some of the sugar with artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and acesulfame K. This is the core of the perceived “disappearance” - people are noticing a difference and assuming the beloved drink is gone entirely. To summarize the changes:
- Reduced sugar content by over 50%
- Introduction of artificial sweeteners
- A slightly altered taste profile
While the reduced-sugar Irn-Bru is still widely available, the original recipe version became a limited-edition product. Some smaller retailers may still stock imported versions of the original recipe, but these are increasingly rare and expensive. It’s worth noting some people stocked up on the original recipe right before the change, anticipating this situation! You could describe the situation with this simple table:
| Irn-Bru Version | Sugar Content | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Original Recipe | High | Limited/Imported |
| Reduced Sugar | Low | Widely Available |
Want to know more details about the Sugar Tax and AG Barr’s decision-making process? Review the official statements from AG Barr regarding the reformulation and the impact of the Sugar Tax. This source provides in-depth information.