Media outcry as Sherbet Fountain drops paper for plastic

Tangerine Confectionery said that the revamp of the paper packaging for the sweet – which is famous for its stick of liquorice – aimed to make the pack appeal to new generations.

A tamper-proof re-sealable tube will make sure the product stays fresher for longer and stop the sherbet escaping, Tangerine said in a statement this morning. “A modernised design on the packaging will be instantly recognisable to loyal customers.”

The firm said that the old pack “has given us excellent service” and said the new packaging had been launched after extensive customer research. It added it was “delighted” that fans were so fond of the product.

National newspapers, however, reacted with outrage at the launch of the packs, with headlines including the Daily Express‘s ‘Anger fizzes up over new sherbet tube’ and the Daily Mail‘s ‘Killjoys take the fun out of the Sherbet Fountain to make it more ‘hygienic”.

Tangerine added that the recipe has been updated to use natural flavours and colours, but retained the same taste. It did not reveal, however, the maker of the new packaging.

Barratt’s Sherbet Fountain was launched in 1925 and was acquired by Tangerine in January 2008 when the firm bought Monkhill Confectionery from Cadbury Schweppes for £58m.

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