Arnott’s changes recipe for Shapes range, and customers are not happy

THEY have been a lunch box favourite for more than 40 years, but now customers are turning their backs on Shapes.

THEY have been a lunch box favourite for more than 40 years, but now customers are turning their backs on Arnott’s Shapes, labelling the new recipe as “revolting”.

Last month, the biscuit manufacturer announced that more flavours were being introduced to its range, and that the rollout of new seasoning meant the biscuits would have an improved health star rating.

But customers are not happy with the change, which hit shelves this week, with hundreds taking to social media and labelling the altered snack as “terrible”, and demanding the manufacturer “bring back the old Shapes”.

Social media users are demanding Arnott’s “bring back” the original Shapes recipe. Picture: News Corp Australia.

“New and improved shapes? Revolting! I just threw out the two packets I tried,” one Facebook user said.

“Soft biscuits and flavour is not good at all. Bring back the old Shapes.”

“I will not be adding these to my shopping list until the old recipe returns. They taste like the cheap ‘Shape’ rip-offs,” another said.

I don't like these new and improved pizza shapes, can you bring back the old ones? #ArnottsBiscuitsltd pic.twitter.com/Mg7SddbeIw

— quietlyridingthewind (@aussieINFP) April 6, 2016

Some consumers questioned why the manufacturer would change a recipe that worked.

“Why did you change Pizza Shapes? My kids won’t eat them now. That was a lunch box staple in our household. Haven’t you heard the saying if it ain’t broke don’t fix it? Why would you change it?” a disgruntled parent said.

While Jason Eacott asked: “Why, why, why? I loved the Pizza Shapes but now I won’t touch them.”

Wow the new @CampbellArnotts #Shapes are terrible. They don't even taste like barbecue any more. They're too sweet pic.twitter.com/6zgvoUfq21

— Matt Smithson (@mattsmithson) April 11, 2016

An Arnott’s spokeswoman told news.com.au the company is closely monitoring customer feedback.

“We know that not everyone likes change, but we do believe we’ve created the best tasting Shapes we’ve ever made. This change was asked for by and tested with our target consumers,” she said.

“One of the main problems we had was getting the flavour to stick onto the biscuits - it was falling off on the biscuit line due to us removing some oil a few years back.

“We’ve solved this by employing new technology which involves baking the flavour right into the biscuit and applying it to both sides. We also found that making the seasoning sprinkles smaller meant they stuck to the biscuit better.

“It’s important to note that BBQ Shapes Original, our biggest selling shape, will still be available alongside the new BBQ flavour.”

The spokeswoman denied the changes to the flavours were made to improve the health star rating of the biscuits.

“The main goal of this project was on achieving more flavour and more authentic flavours. However, happily we have improved the Health Star Rating on nearly the entire range by removing some salt and saturated fat,” she said.

Consumers have slammed the new Shapes biscuit, which has flavouring on both sides as well as within the centre of the snack. Picture: Supplied.

While Arnott’s insists the original recipe will remain alongside the new formula for BBQ, Chicken Crimpy and Savoury flavours, the new recipe is to cater for those looking for something a little different.

“Listening to the demand for more flavour with our new range, and now sprinkling seasoning on both sides of the biscuit and baking it into the centre, giving a flavour hit like never before,” Arnott’s said in a press release sent to media on Wednesday.

“To achieve this, Arnott’s bakers have tweaked some of the recipes to bring the range into 2016 and cater to changing taste preferences for bolder and stronger flavours. Not only have we added more flavour than ever before, across some of the range, we’ve also made the flavour particles smaller to help them stick to the biscuit better.

Arnott’s says the new Shapes biscuits have been “tested and trialled extensively” and the new flavour means the biscuits have an improved health star rating. All of the Shape biscuits are rated between two and three stars.

The federal government’s health star rating system has come under fire for giving some junk foods a high rating.

For example, a tub of Coles Greek yoghurt only gets 1.5 stars, but a packet of Coles soft red licorice gets 2.5 stars. Milo has a 4.5 star rating.

Last year, Arnott’s copped a $51,000 fine from the ACCC for misleading consumers about the amount of saturated fat in its Shapes Light & Crispy varieties. |