People are only just realising why UK crisp packets ‘swapped’ colours

Crisps are a quintessential staple of British , whether you’re enjoying them during lunch, grabbing a quick bite on the go, or watching a good film on a night in . Flavours like Cheese and Onion and Salt and Vinegar have long been favourites in many households and there’s something almost nostalgic about the red packet for Ready Salted crisps that seems to enhance the flavour. But have you ever thought that Salt and Vinegar crisps in a blue packet sounds more “vinegary” in taste, and Cheese and Onion crisps in a green packet rings more “oniony”?

For years, many people have turned to Walkers’ Q&A section and to ask why the colours of their crisp packets seemed to change in the . Filmmaker and videographer, Chris Spargo, recently shed some light on the subject on his channel, explaining why some might associate certain colours with particular flavours.

YouGov research from 2014, revealed that 44% of Brits believe that the Cheese and Onion packet should be green, while 30% think it should be blue.

Meanwhile, 48% of Brits thought Salt and Vinegar should be in a blue packet, with 32% favouring green.

What might come to a suprise to some, is that the “swap” never actually happened.

Walkers previously released a statement that read: “We’re often asked about this! Our Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion flavour crisps packs have always been the colours they are today.

“Contrary to popular belief, we’ve never swapped the colours around, not even temporarily. We’ve no plans to change these designs, as they’re signature to our brand.”

So, where has the confusion come from?

The answer lies in the history of Golden Wonder, the former market leader in the UK during the 1980s.

Golden Wonder would pack their Cheese and Onion crisps in green packets and their Salt and Vinegar crisps in blue and so do many other popular brands, including Pringles and Hula Hoops, which may have also contributed to the widespread belief that Walkers had changed their packaging.

Founded in 1947, Golden Wonder used to be the dominant force in the UK crisp world, but lost ground when Walkers gained popularity in the 1990s, folllowing the latter being acquired by PepsiCo and ‘s first advert for Walkers in 1995.

Golden Wonder, which is also known for its Wotsits, Ringos, and Pot Noodle, underwent several ownership changes, including being acquired by Imperial Tobacco, Dalgety plc, and later Bridgepoint Capital, which led to several shifts in focus and management.

The brand faced significant challenges such as a devastating fire at its Corby site in 1988 and the sale of key assets like Pot Noodle to Unilever in the 1990s.

These factors, combined with Walkers’ aggressive marketing and expansion, contributed to Golden Wonder no longer being the leader of the UK crisp arena.