For several years there have been rumors circulating social media that Sour Skittles, a candy beloved by many, have been discontinued.
Rumors like these often cause a snowball effect, with many catching on to the panic and passing it on, without knowing the full story.
Added to the tendency of rumors to grow, since the beginning of the infamous Coronavirus pandemic, it has become increasingly difficult for consumers to identify if a hard-to-find product is discontinued, is just experiencing distribution challenges, or is unavailable for other reasons not released by the company.
So, it will come to no one’s surprise that many people have been questioning as far back as 2019 if Sour Skittles are yet another fan favorite to have been put on the chopping block.
Are Sour Skittles Discontinued?
No, despite rumors that the candy has been discontinued there is no evidence that Skittles has officially halted production.
However, there is no doubt that the candy has been increasingly difficult for customers to find.
There are a variety of reasons Sour Skittles are out of stock in various locations.
The main one is the supply chain shortages and production challenges that many companies across the nation are experiencing.
These challenges cause delays which make it difficult for retailers to stock the candy.
Additionally, it is common that when a retailer does receive a shipment it sells very quickly due to the high demand and tendency for customers to purchase multiple packs in attempts to stock up.
Discontinuing Rumors About Sour Skittles
The rumors appear to have started on the internet in 2019.
Fans took to Reddit asking if anyone else was having as much difficulty finding the candy as they were.
Comments were mixed, with some stating they also haven’t been able to find Sour Skittles and others sharing they hadn’t had any trouble picking them up at their local grocery or gas station.
Additionally, a Twitter search shows that the rumors on the site began in 2019 as users tweeted complaints about not being able to find the product.
they discontinued sour skittles pic.twitter.com/fMv6xPShoj
— LAMESTAIN (@theliamette) August 20, 2019
they discontinued sour skittles?????????????????????????
— ari🪬 (@arxnnaa) July 14, 2021
I can’t believe I didn’t know sour skittles got discontinued
— cabrona ❣️ (@nathalie_zulup) December 8, 2021
Some users suggested that when they were able to find Sour Skittles they should purchase as many as possible to stock up because they never knew when they would be able to find them again.
These tweets continued throughout 2020 and 2021.
However, they appear to have declined in occurrence slightly in 2022.
In October 2022, the official Skittles Twitter hinted at new Halloween flavors for their Sours line.
If the sour doesn’t make you shriek, the fact that this pack has green apple and lime might do it. pic.twitter.com/FchKWmGD65
— SKITTLES (@Skittles) October 4, 2022
Lime Vs. Green Apple Skittles
Some confusion may have started with Skittles switching the flavor of their Green Skittle.
The original flavor of the Green Skittle was Lime, but Mars Wrigley decided to change the flavor to Green Apple in 2013.
The Lime flavor became a mystery to many fans, as the company would occasionally release limited edition packs that included Lime instead of the Green Apple.
Customers were never quite sure which flavor they were going to receive in their pack of Skittles.
After several years, Skittles finally announced that they had made a mistake in taking away the Lime flavor and has since reintroduced it as an official flavor instead of the Green Apple.
In 2021, Skittles also released a 35-minute-long humorous video of the Communication Director reading and apologizing to Twitter users who had complained about the lack of Lime skittles.
Throughout the video, the banner changes frequently with sarcastic, humorous comments such as:
- “Skittles Apologizes For Worst Day of Life (Again)”
- “Skittles Apologizes For Not Knowing Why”
- “Skittles Apologizes For Not Recognizing Bad Idea”
It would appear that Skittles fans have been on edge for several years, so it is no surprise that the apparently sudden disappearance of Sour Skittles created a panic that they were discontinued.
Mars Wrigley Lawsuit Over Potentially Harmful Ingredients
Mars has an ongoing lawsuit against them for their use of the chemical titanium dioxide in Skittles.
The outcome of the lawsuit has not yet been specified to the public, which may also cause anxiety and confusion regarding what impact this will have on the production of Skittles and other Mars products.
The lawsuit began in 2022 when a California resident, Jenile Thames, sought out a class-action lawsuit against the company for their continued use of titanium dioxide in their Skittles products.
This was in response to Mars’ announcement back in 2016 that they would remove the potentially harmful chemical from their ingredients list by 2021, yet Thames claims there is no such evidence that they have done so.
The Center for Food Safety wrote its own press release commending Mars for its willingness to take action and its broader commitment to the removal of harmful ingredients known to be in many candies.
Thames described the candy as being “unfit for human consumption.”
Interestingly, the original statement released by Mars cannot be found on their website. Links that many other news reports utilized to reference the announcement have appeared to be taken down by Mars.
Mars’ website does discuss its belief and policies on artificial colorings and mentioned its original commitment to removing titanium dioxide.
They state that their original intention in 2016 was to remove the chemical because they believed that the majority of their consumer based preferred more natural ingredients.
Mars also states that since that time, their team of researchers has conducted their own research and learned that “consumer expectations regarding colors in food differ widely across markets and categories.”
They also found that “many of our consumers across the world do not, in fact, find artificial colors to be ingredients of concern.”
This is important to note because titanium dioxide, the perceived problem and the cause of the ongoing lawsuit, is a main chemical used in the creation of Skittles’ artificial colors.
Additionally, they have reevaluated their original intent and instead seek approaches that can be tailored to the differing expectations.
For some consumers, the lawsuit and what exactly Mars’ intentions are can be confusing and lead to an unknown future for the company and its beloved Sour Skittles product.
Who Produces Sour Skittles?
The entire Skittles brand is owned by Mars Wrigley, which also owns brands like M&M’s, Orbit, Snickers, and Extra.
Mars distributes their portfolio of brands within more than 180 countries across the world.
The company employs more than 34,000 associates, who assist in working towards Mars Wrigley’s commitment to “focus on positively impacting the planet and the population.”
These associates work diligently to ensure that Mars is following up on their commitments which include:
- Investing $1 billion into creating a new cocoa supply chain with smallholder farmers
- Creating more sustainable mint through plant science
- Reducing M&M’s carbon footprint through renewable energy
- Following their Nourishing Wellbeing Commitment to advance science, innovation, and marketing
Production Challenges Experienced By Mars
Like many companies worldwide are experiencing, Skittles has production challenges that limit their ability to mass produce their products and deliver them to retailers.
Mars, the owner of Skittles, experiences challenges along almost every step of the production process.
This includes sourcing ingredients, producing them in an appropriate manufacturing facility, and delivering them to retailers.
Supply chain issues around the world have made certain ingredients increasingly difficult for producers to obtain and what they can purchase often comes at a higher cost.
Additionally, the costs necessary to successfully operate a manufacturing facility with sufficient staff and equipment, and increased electricity and gas prices also provide a barrier.
Lastly, after successfully making it through the production line there are barriers experienced in the transportation process.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a sharp decline in available truckers to transport goods to retailers.
In fact, the American Trucking Association states that the trucking industry is operating with 80,000 fewer drivers than pre-pandemic.
This is a result of many retiring or leaving the business for more lucrative or other opportunities.
Packaging
However, one additional area that is taken for granted by consumers is the packaging challenges of said products.
Plastics and aluminum, both commonly used packaging materials, have experienced a shortage since the Coronavirus Pandemic has begun.
This shortage came as a result of an increase in people purchasing more single-serve products during quarantine, like individual cans of soda.
Plastic and aluminum producers were unable to keep up with the sharp increase in demand, which has led to a shortage.
Beyond the shortage of packaging, Mars also recognizes that packaging waste is harmful to the environment.
The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to redesign its packaging in a more sustainable way, that relies less on the plastic and aluminum that is difficult to find.
Mars uses flexible packaging that is convenient and still keeps its products fresh, with as little material as possible.
Another way that Mars is committing to reusing packaging for future products, is by providing specially designed trick-or-treating bags throughout October 2022.
These bags include a prepaid postage stamp so that consumers can send the leftover candy packages back to be recycled.
When Is Demand For Skittles The Highest?
Halloween is one occasion when people are specifically looking for candy in bulk.
Candy during this season is in higher demand than normal, and any Sour Skittles that may be available are very quickly grabbed by customers.
Therefore, if you are looking for Sour Skittles, the best bet may be to search in uncommon places or during the “off-season” when candy is in less demand.
For example, it is common for consumers to head to their local grocery store or Walmart in search of their favorite candy.
You may have better luck heading to a more uncommon destination, such as a local corner store or other destination for the candy.
After all, how often are we shocked by the candy options when in the checkout line at a Home Depot or Best Buy?
These stores are not the main destination when searching for candy.
Therefore there is also the chance that they may have the desired Sour Skittles in stock.
Although if you are searching for bulk Sour Skittles for Halloween or another event, it is unlikely these off-the-beat stores will have a multitude of the candy.
Many brands, including Skittles, prepare for Halloween well in advance.
However, production challenges like we discussed above do still cause challenges in finding your candy of choice.
Where Can I Find Sour Skittles?
The most efficient place to find the candy is right from the Skittles website itself, where you can search on the Where To Buy page.
The common retailers which appear to sell Sour Skittles, as determined by utilizing their Where To Buy page, include Target, Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, and Sam’s Club.
You can also find Sour Skittles online.
The Where To Buy page will also identify if the specific Skittles product is available on Amazon and will provide a direct link.
Fans could likely find other online sellers of the candy as well, but it is important to verify the expiration dates on those packages as it is common for third-party sellers to attempt to sell expired candy.
Skittles states that they quote their products’ shelf life as being 52 weeks.
However, this can vary depending on where the candy is stored.
For example, Skittles that are kept in a warm environment will melt and expire quicker than in a more moderate or cooler environment.
What Other Options Are There?
If you’re having difficulty finding Sour Skittles at your local grocery or convenience stores, you may be looking for an alternative candy to satisfy your sweet and sour cravings.
The Skittles portfolio includes several other options, including chewy and gummy options.
Flavors vary and include original, wild berry, sours, and other seasonal options.
However, if you’re craving that sour kick to get your blood flowing, alternative options include:
- Sour Patch Kids
- Airheads Xtremes
- Haribo Sour Gold-Bears
- Life Savers Gummies Sours
- Warheads Sours
Additionally, some healthier alternatives are lower in sugar and carbs and can still taste delicious despite the common stigma that healthier is tasteless.
These include:
