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Original poster

Which changes in a product you’d liked have been the worst?

219 replies

Horsehow · 04/10/2025 20:25

Just bought some Huggies wet wipes for the first time in a while. I use them to take makeup off, and they are the only wet wipe that are really effective. They’re thick and somehow really remove the dirt well. But they’ve changed and are now utterly, utterly shite. They’re thin and remove nothing. Why oh why do they do this? Do they not test the product in manufacturing and think ‘this is obviously a shit move’? So frustrating.

See also Ribena. Used to be a great occasional drink to soothe a sore throat, now it tastes of nothing but chemicals. Why do that?

Surely no one will buy the new Huggies Wet wipes? Surely only 10% of the old Ribena buyers still buy. What is the sense in this commercially?

OP posts:
BuffetTheDietSlayer · 04/10/2025 22:35

Judellie · 04/10/2025 22:21

Smarties are revolting now.
Re Cadbury, somebody told me that the freddo frogs are still made in Ireland and they still taste good, like original Cadburys

You were lied to about Freddos.

People always claim that the Irish cadburys tastes like the pre American crap, but it’s not true. It taste slightly different to UK but is nothing like dairy milk once was.

MattDillonsEyebrows · 04/10/2025 22:35

I often wonder if the people who make the things feel embarrassed by how awful they are now?

I would never, in a million years admit that I was any kind of decision maker at Cadburys, Nestle, McVities, or any snack product from the last 20 years! I’d just feel too ashamed.

Controversiallyyours · 04/10/2025 22:33

Cif bathroom cleaner spray. Used to have a lovely fresh smell, and great for limescale. Now it has a vile, sickly, cloying smell, reminds me of public toilets

Emori · 04/10/2025 22:30

Quality Street is the most hollowly inappropriate brand name ever now for those current small sad pouches of putty and disappointment.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 04/10/2025 22:27

saveforthat · 04/10/2025 20:45

Wagon Wheels or Curlywurly. Both have shrunk ridiculously.

I think this is the actual size of the original wagon wheel. I remember them being massive.

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thistimelastweek · 04/10/2025 22:26

Baxters were the best for tinned soups until they went gluten free - not just some choices but right across the range as far as I can see.
Just not the same.

MaryBeardsShoes · 04/10/2025 22:21

ShuffleOn · 04/10/2025 20:46

Nivea soft moisturiser was my favourite for years then they changed the formula to be vegan. I get why they did it but I had to stop using it in my face as it didn’t feel as hydrating, my skin even felt a bit dry & tight after using😩

That’s weird, I was expecting it to be crap but I haven’t noticed any difference!

i agree with those saying the sugar free sweeteners in pop etc. if I want sugar I want sugar, I don’t want yucky sweeteners.

Judellie · 04/10/2025 22:21

Smarties are revolting now.
Re Cadbury, somebody told me that the freddo frogs are still made in Ireland and they still taste good, like original Cadburys

TeenLifeMum · 04/10/2025 22:18

MinnieCauldwell · 04/10/2025 21:43

Coco cola original recipe totally different to the stuff you get now. Like a different drink entirely.

Dove soap has shrunk, now made in Turkey. It's all white and mushy. I use Waitrose own unfragranced soap now.

Coca Cola was the best hangover cure. Rubbish now!

Katemax82 · 04/10/2025 22:17

MinnieCauldwell · 04/10/2025 21:43

Coco cola original recipe totally different to the stuff you get now. Like a different drink entirely.

Dove soap has shrunk, now made in Turkey. It's all white and mushy. I use Waitrose own unfragranced soap now.

Waitrose soap is amazing!

TeenLifeMum · 04/10/2025 22:17

Smarties - the sugar/niceness has been removed.

Katemax82 · 04/10/2025 22:16

Givenchy organza, cacharel loulou and Vera Wang princess

ThisAmberOrca · 04/10/2025 22:08

YouForgotToTurnItOff · 04/10/2025 21:43

Really? I didn't realise women own the large food conglomerates, like Unilever and Nestle.

Show quote history

Big food companies are generally not privately owned at all. CEOs and upper management aren’t making the decisions on which product reformulation gets launched. Not even remotely.
Upper management throws a tantrum if something performs badly, and celebrate their wisdom if it goes well. otherwise they sets goals (fat, sugar, salt reduction + costs). Fat, sugar, salt reduction is usually legislation based, cost is obviously finance (margins in food are tiny).
I worked for both Unilever and Nestle in product reformulation. It’s incredibly boring.

Petrolitis · 04/10/2025 21:52

RunningNananananananananana · 04/10/2025 21:07

Any drink that isn't a diet version having fucking sweeteners added to them 🤬
I don't have fizzy drinks very often but now have really limited options as I can't tolerate sweeteners (and they taste crap too) 😮‍💨

So this.

Fizzy drinks should be an occasional treat. It's months between me having it, when I do I want it to taste good.

Sweetener is absolutely vile, I only have full sugar coca cola now.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 04/10/2025 21:45

JusRoll Cinnamon Swirls used to be crisper , now doughy and not pleasant
Twiglets- taste of nothing
Ribena- yes it has changed
Jellytots - now they're vegan I can eat them (gelatin) , my DS won;t entertain them now "ruined , all spongey"

I put a lot of it down to Covid knackering my tastebuds but there's many things have changed sadly not for the better

StellaAndCrow · 04/10/2025 21:44

L'Oreal Castings Hair Colour. They've just changed all the colour names, and also changed the formulations. They've gone from mostly 5 star reviews to almost all one star.

YouForgotToTurnItOff · 04/10/2025 21:43

ThisAmberOrca · 04/10/2025 21:40

Your theory is wrong. Food industry and especially Product research is fairly female dominated - doesn’t mean the results are pleasant.

Show quote history

Really? I didn't realise women own the large food conglomerates, like Unilever and Nestle.

MinnieCauldwell · 04/10/2025 21:43

Coco cola original recipe totally different to the stuff you get now. Like a different drink entirely.

Dove soap has shrunk, now made in Turkey. It's all white and mushy. I use Waitrose own unfragranced soap now.

ThisAmberOrca · 04/10/2025 21:40

YouForgotToTurnItOff · 04/10/2025 21:19

I have a theory it's men. Men who don't buy the product take over a company or get promoted and change something for profit to get their bar charts looking like they were doing a better job than the man before them.

I have never heard a man complain about things tasting different or worse - I don't think they pay as much attention.

Show quote history

Your theory is wrong. Food industry and especially Product research is fairly female dominated - doesn’t mean the results are pleasant.

ThisAmberOrca · 04/10/2025 21:38

BuffetTheDietSlayer · 04/10/2025 21:18

Slightly edited ChatGPT response? Hmm

Show quote history

nope, worked on food reformulation for 15 years ;) fat, sugar, salt reduction, again and again and again. Stopped because it is really boring.

TheGrimSqueakersFlea · 04/10/2025 21:23

@Robertplantgoddess Irn bru 1901. I've tried it, but it's just not as good. Still better that nothing though

isitmyturn · 04/10/2025 21:20

All bran. I've eaten it for 30 years because it keeps me regular. The new version is revolting.

grumpygrape · 04/10/2025 21:20

My 15+ year old tumble dryer had to be replaced 2 years ago. The old one had two settings, one which you selected for full on heat or lower for synthetics. The other was a timer. Worked brilliantly and I knew exactly how to programme it for each type of load.

The all singing, all dancing replacement had approx 34,765 different settings including some which could be set from your mobile despite us all being told not to use tumbles when we are not on.the premises.

I had to get rid of it because it only tumbled in one direction and tied towels and bedding into tight damp knots which had to be repeatedly untangled and tumbled again, and again, and again.

Robertplantgoddess · 04/10/2025 21:19

TheGrimSqueakersFlea · 04/10/2025 21:15

Irn bru isn't the same. I don't usually drink ginger, but I loved irn bru

You can still buy original in bru in glass bottles. B and m sometimes have it.

YouForgotToTurnItOff · 04/10/2025 21:19

Catlover77 · 04/10/2025 21:09

I fully agree. And I had to stop buying Ariel washing liquid (normal and colour versions) as they changed the fragrance. Why do companies do this to loyal customers?

Show quote history

I have a theory it's men. Men who don't buy the product take over a company or get promoted and change something for profit to get their bar charts looking like they were doing a better job than the man before them.

I have never heard a man complain about things tasting different or worse - I don't think they pay as much attention.