The candy aisle has always been a rotating door of sweet experiments, and not every treat made it out alive. From the chewy classics of the 1970s to the neon-wrapped novelties of the 1990s, discontinued candies hold a special place in our memories. These weren’t just snacks — they were the flavors of school cafeterias, movie nights, and road trips that shaped entire decades. Some were pulled for safety reasons, others disappeared quietly when sales slowed, and a few were victims of changing tastes.
At Bring Back Dialup, we’ve been chronicling the nostalgia behind discontinued foods that defined our collective childhoods, like discontinued Hostess snacks or the always-popular discontinued Eggo flavors. This time, we’re turning our attention to the candy counter.
Here are 15 discontinued candies, from Butterfinger BB’s to Altoids Sours, with when they first hit shelves, when they vanished, and why they were pulled. Think of it as a sugary time capsule, unwrapped one memory at a time.
Butterfinger BB’s
- Introduced: early 1990s
- Discontinued: 2006
- Why: Melt and mess complaints plus profitability and lineup focus; Ferrero/Hershey comms over the years point to profit concerns.
Hershey’s Swoops
- Introduced: 2003
- Discontinued: August 2006
- Why: Novelty wore off, low awareness, fussy packaging, and value perception.
Hershey’s Kissables
- Introduced: 2005
- Discontinued: July 2009
- Why: Cost-cutting reformulation swapped cocoa butter for vegetable oils, hurting taste and even labeling; demand never recovered.
Altoids Sours
- Introduced: 2000s
- Discontinued: 2010
- Why: Low national demand; later revived in 2024 as “Retro Sours” by Iconic Candy at specialty retailers.
PB Max (Mars)
- Introduced: 1989–1990
- Discontinued: 1994
- Why: Former Mars exec Alfred Poe has said the Mars family disliked peanut butter despite strong sales; the family has not formally substantiated it.
Life Savers Holes
- Introduced: 1990–1991
- Discontinued: 1991 (recalled)
- Why: Packaging-related choking hazard prompted a nationwide withdrawal.
Marathon Bar (U.S., Mars)
- Introduced: 1973
- Discontinued: 1981
- Why: Poor sales and an extra-chewy format that was costly and polarizing; often compared to the UK’s Curly Wurly.
Pearson’s Seven Up Bar
- Introduced: 1930s
- Discontinued: 1979
- Why: Complex manufacturing and brand conflicts; the company’s heritage notes the line ended in the 1970s.
Nestlé Choco’Lite
- Introduced: 1972
- Discontinued: circa 1982
- Why: Aerated chocolate niche faded in the U.S.; line was dropped in the early 80s.
Reggie! Bar
- Introduced: 1978
- Discontinued: 1981; brief 1993 revival
- Why: Tied to Reggie Jackson’s Yankees era and corporate changes; momentum faded after Jackson left and ownership shifted.
Bar None (Hershey)
- Introduced: 1987
- Discontinued: 1997
- Why: Recipe and format changes hurt sales; eventually discontinued. The brand was later revived independently by Iconic Candy.
Life Savers Creme Savers
- Introduced: late 1990s
- Discontinued: 2011
- Why: Line was shelved by Mars Wrigley; licensed and revived in 2021 by Iconic Candy with expanding flavors in 2025.
Fruit String Thing (Betty Crocker)
- Introduced: mid-1990s
- Discontinued: 2000s
- Why: Short lifecycle fruit snack that quietly disappeared in the 2000s.
Ouch! Bubble Gum (Wrigley/Hubba Bubba)
- Introduced: 1990s
- Discontinued: around 2009
- Why: A 90s novelty in Band-Aid style tins that faded with time; periodically resurfaces via nostalgia sellers.
Snickers Cruncher (Mars)
- Introduced: early 2000s
- Discontinued: late 2000s
- Why: Short-run texture variant that did not sustain sales long term.
More discontinued flavor nostalgia
- Discontinued Little Debbie Snacks Fans Want Back — Lunchbox staples and seasonal treats that quietly vanished.
- Discontinued Pop-Tart Flavors You Can’t Buy Anymore — Wild toaster-pastry experiments that didn’t stick around.
- Discontinued Snacks From the ’90s We Still Think About — After-school legends from the neon decade.
- Discontinued Fast-Food Items We Wish Would Return — Menu favorites that left a hole in our hearts.
