{"id":2673,"date":"2026-08-21T10:43:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T10:43:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jvdbosch.com\/?p=2673"},"modified":"2026-08-27T09:11:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T09:11:53","slug":"iconic-90s-chocolate-bar-with-controversial-past-makes-its-return-to-asdas-shelves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jvdbosch.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/21\/iconic-90s-chocolate-bar-with-controversial-past-makes-its-return-to-asdas-shelves\/","title":{"rendered":"Iconic \u201990s chocolate bar with controversial past makes its return to Asda\u2019s shelves"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"Cardiff,\t<\/div>
Asda has brought back one of its most iconic chocolate biscuits (Picture: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So far, 2026 has been a great year for shoppers with a sweet tooth.<\/p>\n

In July, M&S<\/a> put four ‘iconic’ retro chocolate bars<\/a> back on shelves, and just a week ago Terry’s delighted fans by bringing back its ‘amazing’ White Chocolate Orange<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And it seems as though they’re not the only ones embracing nostalgia.<\/p>\n

Asda has officially relaunched Puffin bars \u2013 its own-brand biscuit that first hit stores 30 years ago. Individually wrapped, each bar features a biscuit centre coated in chocolate.<\/p>\n

On August 17, photos of the beloved chocolate bars back on shelves started circulating on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For just \u00a31, customers can bag eight Puffin bars \u2013 not a bad deal. But given the contentious court case Asda faced back in 1997, it seems not everyone is rushing to get their hands on the former fan favourite.<\/p>\n

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https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DcRO01eiLHT\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Is it Penguin or Puffin? <\/h2>\n

You may not remember, but Puffin bars have a rather controversial history.<\/p>\n

As most Brits already know, one of the most popular chocolate biscuits of the 2000s were McVitie’s Penguin bars. <\/p>\n

A classic after school<\/a> snack, Penguins have two layers of biscuit with a chocolate-flavoured filling in between, covered in a layer of milk chocolate. Sound familiar?<\/p>\n

Well, back in the 90s, shortly after the Puffin bar was launched, McVitie’s took Asda to court \u2013 suing the supermarket<\/a> chain for creating a product it claimed was confusingly similar to its Penguin bar.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"A\t<\/div>
Asda has been struggling with customer satisfaction as of late. Could bringing a nostalgic chocolate biscuit back do the trick? (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From the packaging to the recipe itself, McVitie’s argued that Asda had deliberately designed the Puffin bar to confuse consumers.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the judge mostly cleared Asda of direct trademark infringement. <\/p>\n

The supermarket was allowed to keep the ‘Puffin’ name and sell existing stock, but was forced to redesign the product’s packaging.<\/p>\n

Clearly still harbouring resentment over the 1997 court case, one Facebook<\/a> user Heberdavid Martin reacted to the news by stating: ‘Basically it’s just a cheap Asda version of a Penguin chocolate biscuit’.<\/p>\n

@Adrianmoore4 on Instagram<\/a> added: ‘Meh, we’ve got Penguins and Tim Tams \u2013 why do we need another of these types of chocolate biscuit?’<\/p>\n

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The Puffin bar has stirred up some controversy over the years (Picture: Asda)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few users also expressed disappointment in seeing the phrase ‘chocolate-flavoured’ on the packaging, with one individual noting: ‘It’s not real chocolate so I won’t be buying’.<\/p>\n

Towards the end of last year, rising cocoa prices led a number of brands to use alternative ingredients<\/a>, meaning some products were no longer eligible to be classed as chocolate.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, lots of people seem pleased to see Puffin bars back on store shelves.<\/p>\n

Jess Young-Vicks shared on Facebook: ‘I remember these! I’ll be filling my pockets!’<\/p>\n

While @livingthelifeofsam added: ‘They need to bring the mint Puffin back! They were the best ones, my nana always had them in her fridge when I was a kid’.<\/p>\n

The launch follows new research from Asda that more than eight in ten Brits (84%) say they\u2019re more open to trying own-brand versions of their favourite snacks than they were five years ago.<\/p>\n

And it’s not just about saving money. The supermarket’s survey also revealed that 85% say they enjoy the satisfaction of discovering a great own-brand alternative<\/a>, with three in ten (30%) saying the real prize is finding one that tastes better than the branded original.<\/p>\n

So, could the Puffin bar tempt you? <\/p>\n

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