This 60s favourite sweet is back in UK stores- and its got fans feeling nostalgic
"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.
Big bags of Opal Fruits have been spotted on the shelves, and shoppers are feeling pretty nostalgic about it, reports The Manc.
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.
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.
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."
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.
"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.
As of the end of March we won't be able to get our Percy Pig fix on Wellington Street any longer.
Whether you're popping in for a Dine in for Two Meal Deal or an iconic Colin the Caterpillar cake, there's no denying that we all love a cheeky trip to M&S.
After all, it's not just food...it's M&S food.
But unfortunately for us, one Marks & Spencer food hall in the city centre is closing its doors for good at the end of this month.
The one in question is on Wellington Street, just round the corner from the train station and nearby the Wellington Place development.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Signs have gone up on the windows announcing its closure, stating it will be closing on Saturday 22 March 2025.
Now the only two remaining stores are the train station location and the superstore on Briggate.
We here at The Hoot shared the sad news via Instagram and were met with mixed responses.
Comments said: "This is an odd move to make, I use that store a lot. We have a massive residential population now in the West End, including myself and we'll be left with just two supermarkets to serve the whole district, Tesco and Sainsburys."
"Like most of these developments they can’t predict the footfall, just like down at Leeds dock, it’s a ghost town because people go into the centre. Oh and if you want a big shop, you’ll take your car to either crown point or whiterose to put your shopping in."
"I love this store ! I use it all the time . Also get my clothes collections from there - I hate going to the big one in town and the station one is not great . I will really miss it @marksandspencerfood please rethink !"
So if you're after a final browse around the food hall, you've only got a few more weeks to do so.
Tesco is set to trial personalised Clubcard prices giving shoppers even cheaper offers
Emily Sergeant
Tesco is trialling personalised Clubcard offers which give customers tailored prices based on their purchases.
The supermarket ‘s Clubcard loyalty scheme has more than 20 million people signed-up nationwide, making it one of the most popular of its kind on the market, by far – but over the coming weeks, prices could begin to get cheaper for some than they already are as part of the new ‘Your Clubcard Prices’ scheme being trialled.
The scheme, which is being launched nationwide to a select group of people, will see shoppers sent new personalised offers every Wednesday, on top of all other existing deals.
These will be sent via the Tesco Clubcard app, and added automatically at the checkout.
Images: The Manc Group
At this moment in time, it’s believed to be unclear how many people are a part of the trial, and also how long the trial will last for.
What we do know, however, is that customers will be able to use their personalised offers multiple times for a total of seven days in larger Tesco stores, but at present, they unfortunately can’t be used in Express locations.
“We are constantly looking for ways to make Clubcard work harder for our customers,” a Tesco spokesperson explained.
“We are currently offering Your Clubcard Prices to a trial group of our Clubcard members, giving them offers on products they regularly buy at Tesco, in addition to the thousands of Clubcard Prices available to all Clubcard members each week.”
The news that Tesco is trialling personalised Clubcard offers comes after the retailer was advised by leading consumer watchdog, Which?, last February to make prices clearer for customers.
It also comes after the UK’s cheapest supermarket of 2024 has was revealed.
The Hoot -
17th February 2023 
