Big bags of Opal Fruits have been spotted on the shelves at B&M, and shoppers are feeling pretty nostalgic about it.
After the crushing news this week that iconic tropical fizzy drink Lilt has been discontinued after nearly 50 years on UK shop shelves, and rebranded and replaced with the brand-new Fanta Pineapple & Grapefruit, people have taking to social media to reminisce on some of their favourite nostalgic snacks and sweets that are no more.
And Opal Fruits seemed to appear pretty high up on the list for many.
Luckily though, B&M has reminded shoppers that it still stocks the retro sweets in some stores across the UK, and the news has definitely gone down a treat.
Opal Fruits may not be the easiest to come by nowadays, especially after the brand name was phased out in the UK and Ireland in 1998 and changed to Starburst to make it the same globally, but it does appear that they’re sometimes still knocking around in their original format – if you know where to look, that is.
ADVERTISEMENT
The budget retailer has tipped-off fans of the fruity retro sweet that they should probably get on down to their nearest store, as their shop shelves are stocked full of them.
“We have Opal Fruits if anyone is interested,” B&M said on Twitter earlier this week to fans mourning the loss of Lilt and remembering the taste of Opal Fruits.
ADVERTISEMENT
First introduced by Mars in the UK in 1960, and given the name by a man called Peter Phillips, who was the winner of a competition that won him £5, Opal Fruits were made in the four original flavours strawberry, lemon, orange, and lime.
Other seasonal and limited-edition flavours were introduced at later dates.
Many people will probably remember the sweet by brand’s famous tagline “Opal Fruits – made to make your mouth water.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Opal Fruits were first introduced by Mars in the UK in 1960 / Credit: Mars UK
After B&M shared that Opal Fruits were stocked in its stores, fans were feeling all nostalgic about the news and shared their love of the sweets on social media.
“Omg need, my mouth’s watering just looking at them,” someone wrote on Twitter.
Another fan said on Twitter: “I love the Opal Fruits, the lime flavour, also as a bonus the tropical or summer fruits would be nice, was never a big fan of the strawberry mix”, while a third added: “Always fingers crossed for a high proportion of green ones. Always my favourite.”
“This makes me love the UK,” another said.
The retro sweets are back on the shelves at B&M / Credit: B&M
“People keep telling me Opal Fruits and Starburst are the same, they are so wrong,” another sweet tooth said on Twitter.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I’ll be in for some, can’t beat the yellow and the green, never buy Starburst but won’t pass these without buying some, thanks B&M,” one happy fan commented.
Fancy seeing if you can get your hands on a bag of the retro fruity sweets then? Head on over and check the opening times of your nearest B&M here.
Featured Image – B&M
Trending
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Featured Image – Greggs (Supplied)
Trending
A Greater Manchester neighbourhood has been named one of the ‘coolest’ in the UK
Clementine Hall
A neighbourhood in Great Manchester has been crowned one of the coolest in the country – and this time, it’s not Ancoats.
Every year, we wait with bated breath to see which UK neighbourhoods have made the cut in Time Out’s annual ranking of the coolest places in the world.
But, as it turns out, Britain is just so damn cool that we’ve earned a list of our own.
In its latest guide, ’11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK’, Time Out has rounded up the places across the country that are really making a name for themselves.
Images: The Manc
And one neighbourhood here in Greater Manchester has made the cut, and although you’d immediately think of Ancoats that has made its way to similar lists before, this time there’s a newbie on the block.
Coming in at a very respectable fourth place, Stockport and the Underbanks received a glowing report in the coveted list.
Images: The Manc
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
We love Stockport for its flourishing food scene, cool community vibe and ever-growing roster of independent businesses – not to mention its brilliant mix of old-school charm and new-school cool.
It’s a place that feels like it’s constantly evolving, without losing the character that made people fall in love with it in the first place. And clearly, Time Out agrees.
Images: The Manc
Kyle MacNeill, contributing writer, said: “If you live anywhere near Manchester, you may have heard this one on the rumour mill: ‘Stockport is The New Berlin’. It’s a gag, alright: the humble market town hasn’t got a club, let alone the most hedonistic nightlife scene in the world. But it is true that SK is rapidly becoming the place-to-move-to for the Second City’s creatives, thanks to cheaper rent and some serious suburban tenacity.
“The Underbanks, a cobbled high street once home to hat-makers and hosiers, has been transformed into a bustling hub of forward-thinking vendors, while various local institutions have embraced Euro-style cafe culture, midcentury decor, sustainable fine-dining, small plates snacking and chic drinking dens. All of which, actually, come to think of it, is very Berlin… “
High praise indeed, you can read the full list of the UK’s coolest neighbourhoods here.
Emily Sergeant -
16th February 2023 
