For many across the UK, the taste of a forgotten fizzy drink or a discontinued chocolate bar can instantly transport them back to simpler times. There's a powerful sense of nostalgia currently sweeping the nation's high streets, with brands from the past enjoying a surprising resurgence.
The 'Newstalgia' Boom: A Craving for the Past
From the return of Diet Coke Cherry to the sudden popularity of pistachio-flavoured treats, our local shops are experiencing a clear 'newstalgia' boom. Yet, while some classics are staging comebacks, numerous beloved products from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s remain consigned to history. A recent office poll of fondly remembered snacks and drinks from those decades brought a flood of memories, highlighting seven lost legends that are still sorely missed.
The Seven Most-Missed Treats from Decades Gone By
1. Corona 'Pop' - For countless families, the distinctive sound of the Corona delivery lorry marked the true start of the weekend. This door-to-door service, run by the local 'pop man', was a Saturday morning ritual. The excitement of returning empty glass bottles for a penny or two deposit is a memory etched in the minds of a generation, whether they favoured Cream Soda or Dandelion & Burdock.
2. Spangles - The king of 1970s pocket-money sweets came in a distinctive crinkly wrapper. These square, boiled sweets with a signature dimple were discontinued in 1984, but fans still reminisce about the unique 'Mystery' and 'Old English' flavours.
3. SwissKit - Long before the era of the chunky chocolate bar, SwissKit was the gold standard for wafer lovers. Its light, crispy texture and malty chocolate taste, which vanished in the mid-1980s, made it a coveted find in any school lunchbox.
4. Pacers - Originally known as Opal Mints, these green-and-white striped chewy squares offered a powerful 'two-mint' freshness. As the peppermint counterpart to Opal Fruits (now Starburst), they were pulled from shelves in 1985, leaving minty aficionados searching for a replacement ever since.
5. Texan Bar - Marketed with the famous slogan "Sure is a mighty chew!", this huge slab of nougat and toffee coated in chocolate was legendary for its longevity. The TV advert even featured a cowboy slowly eating one to delay his execution by firing squad.
6. MilkyWay Crispy Rolls - A more recent but no less painful loss for many. These light, cream-filled wafer rolls were a lunchbox staple in the 1990s and 2000s. Despite a massive fan campaign and online petition, production ceased in 2022.
7. Cresta - No list of 1980s drinks is complete without the neon-bright Cresta, famously advertised by a sunglasses-wearing polar bear with the tagline "It's frothy, man!". This symbol of cool, with flavours like strawberry and pineapple, disappeared in the early 1990s.
Your 2024 Nostalgia Shopping List: The Best Modern Dupes
While the original recipes can never be truly replicated, dedicated fans have identified some worthy modern alternatives available on today's high street.
To capture the Corona 'fizz', seek out premium glass-bottle brands like Franklin & Sons or Fentimans in the soft drink aisle. Their traditional carbonation offers a similar bite.
For a SwissKit-style crunch, try the M&S Extremely Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Wafers, praised for their generous chocolate-to-wafer ratio.
The closest fix for a MilkyWay Crispy Roll craving is widely considered to be a Kinder Bueno, thanks to its hazelnut cream and light wafer shell.
While they lack the stripes, Spearmint Mentos provide the chewy, minty density that best echoes the lost Pacer.
You can attempt to recreate the famous Cresta foam by mixing a splash of strawberry syrup into a quality cream soda and giving it a vigorous stir.
This wave of food nostalgia shows that for many Brits, taste is one of the most powerful conduits to the past, keeping the memory of these lost legends alive.
