RIBENA fans have complained about a change to the popular drink that has left it tasting “vile”.
Ribena has reformulated its blackcurrant squash recipe to slightly reduce its blackcurrant juice content.
Instead, a natural blackcurrant flavour has been added and a sweetener called polydextrose has been removed.
The new squash started to be sold at the beginning of March.
Depending on the stock levels in supermarkets and retailers it will gradually appear on supermarket shelves by June.
But fans have flooded social media with complaints about the product.
One wrote on social media website X: “Can’t believe I just wasted £1.25 on a bottle of ribena and it tastes like absolute p*** omggg when did they change the recipe I want to cry it’s vile.”
Another added: “Exactlyyyy I used to love ribena but it doesn’t taste as nice since they changed the recipe 
vimto is so underrated.”
Sarah Fleetwood, Head of Marketing for Ribena, said: “We set ourselves the challenge of improving our Ribena Blackcurrant squash.
“The key ingredients remain – we’ve just re-balanced the recipe to deliver more of the unique Ribena taste that we know our consumers love.”
She added that after a year of trials, Ribena is now a “better tasting drink”.
“In a taste test, two thirds of people preferred the improved recipe,” she said.
“What hasn’t changed is the fact that Ribena is still made with 100% British blackcurrants and performs very favourably on ‘juice per serve’ ratio compared to other squash drinks.”
Ribena is sold in two versions: ready to drink and squash.
The 850ml squash is sold in original and no added sugar varieties and comes in blackcurrant, strawberry and pineapple & passion fruit flavours.
Meanwhile, the ready to drink versions are sold in 500ml bottles and six packs of 250ml cartons.
Why are products axed or recipes changed?
ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders.
Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether.
They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers.
There are several reasons why this could be done.
For example, government regulation, like the “sugar tax,” forces firms to change their recipes.
Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs.
They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable.
For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018.
It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version.
Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year.
Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks.
While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.
They also come in blackcurrant and strawberry flavours.
Only the recipe of Ribena squash has been reformulated.
Recipe changes that have angered customers
Other popular brands have caused complaints after they updated their recipes.
Aldi was slammed by fans after it changed its popular Meatsters snack.
The popular snack is an own-brand dupe of the Peperami salami sticks and costs £1.99 for a pack of five.
The Sun understands there has been a change to the way Meatsters are produced.
Meanwhile, fans have previously complained that they could not find the Meatsters in stores.
Meanwhile, Heinz was slammed by shoppers last year after it changed the ingredients in its baked beans with sausages.
Sainsbury’s customers also recently complained about a change to its Sweetened Long Life Soya Drink 1L.
Nestle was also bombarded with complaints on social media about its Fruit Pastilles and Jelly Tots.
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