Last week, we reported on Arnott’s decision to replace BBQ Shapes biscuits with a “new and improved” version that many consumers have slammed as inferior on social media. We urged you all to rush out and grab the originals while stocks lasted. Well, it turns out we can hold off on our supermarket pilgrimages — at least for the time being.
Arnott’s just contacted Lifehacker to assure us that the new BBQ Shapes will not replace the existing recipe. Instead, they’re going to be sold alongside the originals “as long as people are still buying ” Hmmm…
We’re not sure whether Arnott’s mucked up its original announcement (where it was heavily implied the old flavours were being replaced) or is now engaging in frenzied damage control. In any event, some original Shapes flavours aren’t being discounted after all.
Apparently, BBQ, Chicken Crimpy and Savoury Shapes will all remain on supermarket shelves in both their traditional and “new & improved” guises. However, Pizza, Cheddar and Nachos Cheese are being replaced permanently. There are also two new flavours hitting the market — Hot Dog and Roast Chicken. (Let us know if you’re keen to see a taste test on Lifheacker!)
“Original BBQ Shapes, Chicken Crimpy and Savoury will remain — as long as people are still buying them, they’ll stay on the shelves,” an Arnott’s representative explained to Lifehacker today. “The old boxes will stay the same, the new ones are going to have ‘New & Improved’ tag on the box.”
Arnott’s admitted its been a hard message to sell to consumers, with many (ourselves included) assuming the old flavours were gone for good. According to Arnott’s, the new flavours aren’t the soft and visibly bland abominations that many have reported on social media:
“We all genuinely can’t understand how people could NOT prefer the new ones. Everyone who I have sat with who has done a true test genuinely prefers the new,” an Arnott’s rep explained to us earlier today.
“Across some of the range, we’ve made the flavour particles smaller which helps them stick to the biscuit better but be assured, we’ve added more [flavour] than ever.”
The new range also boasts an improved Health Star Rating. (We totally predicted this was a chief reason for the switch last week.)
Despite Arnott’s assurances, we remain skeptical as to whether old school Shapes will stick around for much longer. The range already takes up a hell of a lot of real estate on supermarket shelves; especially when you add sub-brands like Shapes Extreme and Shapes Light & Crispy. We can’t imagine too many managers will want to stock two versions of each flavour.
Still, it’s good to know that original BBQ, Chicken Crimpy and Savoury Shapes won’t be disappearing overnight. We’ve yet to try the new recipe ourselves, but have an extensive taste test lined up for Wednesday. If you’ve managed to snag a bag of the new BBQ flavour, let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Comments
14 responses to “Relax, BBQ Shapes Aren’t Going Anywhere (For Now)”
They will keep the original for a few weeks and regardless of sales ditch them like they originally intended to and say the new ones were selling better. Not only is the nutritional info better for the new ones you’ll probably find they’re cheaper to make.
Taste test of not just the new flavoured shapes but the old compared to new,
I saw another website do it but i rate Lifehackers opinion much higher.
We’ll definitely be comparing the new to the old. 🙂
Awesome looking forward to it.
blind taste test with the office staff @chrisjager
blindfold them, and get them to eat A and B
let you know which is better, then tell them.
The new bbq shapes taste so bad it would be actually disgraceful if they take them off shelves
I can’t believe they would even need to change the recipe
What was wrong with pizza shapes? Why replace them forever? Anyone else think they are the best ones? A very sad day
I’d have potentially debated that the Cheddar ones were better… But that seems a rather moot point, they were both pretty tasty.
How can I enjoy BBQ Shapes when they are not even the real authentic shape of BBQ shapes.
Okay, who is it that’s buying Savoury? There is literally nothing appealing about it. It’s not even a real flavour – every Shapes flavor is ‘Savoury’. It’s not a proper shape and there’s no visible flavor and why does it continue to exist?
I mean, fair enough getting rid of Chicken Crimpy’s inferior cousin Drumstick, I will certainly not shed a tear at the demise of the Cheddar and Nacho Cheese varieties and Cheese and Bacon needed to die years ago since it’s pretty foul, but ditching Pizza and keeping non-flavor Savoury?
Chicken Crimpy all the way! And the Woodfired Pizza ones… if they still exist!
I am addicted to BBQ savoury shapes and can eat an entire packet at one sitting, the new flavour is disgusting – too sweet, tastes like it has been flavoured with chicken powder . I am so angry. Why mess with a perfectly adequate product. Please try and add your complaints so that the original product can come back into supply
I just bought a box on “New and improved” BBQ Shapes because the shelves were stocked with the new ones only.
They tasted like cheap knock-offs. If I can’t find the originals it looks like it’ll be no more Shapes for me. If i ever feel the need for some super sweet and savoury snacks, I might as well buy a generic box from Aldi now.
I have already submitted a petition in relation to the change/taste-test.
https://www.change.org/p/arnott-s-biscuits-australia-change-arnott-s-barbecue-shapes-back-to-original-flavour
Based on the feedback, and the collaboration done with the 6 other petitions for the same purpose, we have over 1,400 signatures.
Mind you, 2 people got 2 week head start, but I only started crowd-sourcing 12 hours ago.
New BBQ shapes are rubbish!!! Sweet. Rubbish. Why change a perfect flavour? Original must stay!
There are no origal recipe at my supermarkets, and my family is no longer buying them. I predict that Arnotts will no longer be trading in Australia on the back of this monumental mistake. The product manager should lose their passport.