Patrick Oconnell
There is a long-standing debate about the colour of cheese and onion crisp packets. Many people believe that cheese and onion crisp packets used to be green, but Walkers, the UK's leading crisp brand, has always maintained that their cheese and onion crisps have been packaged in blue. This discrepancy has led to various conspiracy theories and discussions about the Mandela Effect, with some people claiming that Google search results have been deliberately wiped to hide any evidence of a colour change. While the majority of crisp brands use green packaging for cheese and onion flavour, Walkers' decision to use blue packaging has become a signature of their brand, despite public preference for green packaging.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Brand | Walkers |
| Flavour | Cheese and Onion |
| Packet Colour | Blue |
| Public Perception | 44% believe it should be green, 30% blue, 10% yellow |
| Other Brands' Packet Colour | Green |
| Reason for Public Perception | Colour association with other brands |
| Reason for Blue Colour | Homage to the Midlands, where the flavour was created |
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What You'll Learn
- Walkers' cheese and onion crisps have always been blue
- Other crisp brands use green for cheese and onion
- A 2014 survey found the public wanted Walkers' cheese and onion to be green
- A Walkers advert featured football teams swapping blue and green shirts
- Golden Wonder was the UK's market leader until the 1990s
Walkers' cheese and onion crisps have always been blue
Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps have always been blue, despite many people's beliefs that the packets were previously green. This misconception may be due to other crisp brands, such as Golden Wonder, which used to be the market leader in the UK, packaging their Cheese and Onion flavour in green bags.
In the 1980s, Walkers threw a "cat among the pigeons" by relaunching their product with blue bags for Cheese and Onion and green bags for Salt and Vinegar, going against the industry norm. This move may have contributed to their rise in sales and market leadership.
The belief that Walkers switched their packet colours may also be influenced by a specific advert from the 1990s, in which football teams swap blue and green shirts to mark the packet colour change. However, there is no photographic or video evidence of the original colours of Walkers crisp packets, and the company maintains that their Salt and Vinegar and Cheese and Onion flavours have always been in green and blue packets, respectively.
While a 2014 YouGov survey found that 44% of UK respondents preferred green packaging for Cheese and Onion, and only 30% preferred blue, Walkers has stated that they have no plans to change their signature colour scheme. The blue colour is also a homage to the Midlands, where the flavour was first created.
Despite the widespread belief that Walkers Cheese and Onion packets were once green, the company's consistent messaging and the lack of contradictory evidence suggest that this is indeed a case of false memory.
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Other crisp brands use green for cheese and onion
While Walkers has always packaged its cheese and onion crisps in blue, other crisp brands use green for cheese and onion. This is in keeping with the "gentleman's agreement" in the crisp industry to ensure that flavours could be easily recognised. For example, ready-salted crisps were sold in dark blue packets, salt and vinegar in light blue, and cheese and onion in green.
Golden Wonder, which was the UK's market leader until the 1990s, packaged its cheese and onion crisps in green. In the 1980s, Walkers threw a "cat among the pigeons" by relaunching their product with blue packets for cheese and onion and green for salt and vinegar. This move may have contributed to their rise in sales and market leadership today.
The colour-flipping of the crisp packets is so well-remembered that it has sparked conspiracy theories and discussions of the Mandela Effect. Some even recall a Walkers advert where football teams swapped blue and green shirts to mark the packet colour switch. However, no such advert has been found.
The discrepancy in colour associations could be due to generational factors. A 2014 YouGov survey found that 44% of the country thinks cheese and onion should be green, while 54% of youngsters back it being blue. The Midlands was the only region in favour of Walkers and their blue cheese and onion packets.
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A 2014 survey found the public wanted Walkers' cheese and onion to be green
Many people believe that Walkers Cheese and Onion crisp packets used to be green. However, Walkers has stated that their Cheese and Onion flavour has always been packaged in blue bags, and that their Salt and Vinegar flavour has always been in green packaging. The company has no plans to change these designs, as they are signature to the brand.
Despite this, a 2014 YouGov survey found that 44% of the public wanted Walkers Cheese and Onion flavour to be packaged in green bags, while 30% said they should be blue, and 10% opted for yellow. The Midlands was the only region in favour of Walkers and their colour scheme, likely because Walkers is a Midlands company, founded in Leicester in 1948.
The disparity in colour preference is likely due to generational factors. Golden Wonder was the UK's market leader until the 1990s, and they used green packaging for their Cheese and Onion flavour. When PepsiCo bought Walkers, they launched extensive marketing campaigns, which helped them gain popularity with younger consumers. An 18-24-year-old demographic is more likely to support the Walkers colour scheme than Golden Wonder's.
The belief that Walkers switched their colour schemes may be due to a specific advert that multiple people recall. In the advert, football teams swap blue and green shirts to mark the packets switching colours. Malcolm Green, the ad man who made the first Gary Lineker Walkers commercial, recalls that the flavours were switched in the advert, but he cannot remember the details clearly.
The phenomenon of people collectively misremembering an event is known as the Mandela Effect. Many people, for example, remember the US kids' show "The Berenstain Bears" being spelt "Berenstein". Similarly, some people strongly believe that Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps used to be packaged in green bags, despite the company's insistence that they have always been blue.
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A Walkers advert featured football teams swapping blue and green shirts
There is a long-standing controversy surrounding the colours of Walkers' Salt and Vinegar and Cheese and Onion crisp packets. Many people believe that Walkers once swapped the colours of the packets, with Cheese and Onion changing from green to blue, and Salt and Vinegar changing from blue to green. However, Walkers has always maintained that this switch never happened, and their FAQ page states that Cheese and Onion packets have always been blue, and Salt and Vinegar packets have always been green.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, some people have vivid memories of a Walkers advert from the 1990s in which football teams swapped blue and green shirts to mark the packet colour switch. Malcolm Green, the ad man who made the first Gary Lineker Walkers commercial and other Walkers campaigns in the 90s, recalls that the flavours were switched in one of the adverts he worked on. He explains that everyone knew that green was for Cheese and Onion and blue was for Salt and Vinegar, so the advert played on this by having the football teams swap shirts. Larry Viner, who heads up the Advertising Archives, also recalls receiving emails about this advert but has never been able to find it.
The absence of any physical or visual evidence of the colour switch has led some to speculate that search results may have been deliberately wiped. A software engineer at Google anonymously suggested that it would be easy for Google to manipulate search results as they control most of the content on the internet and rely on advertising money.
The colour switch controversy resurfaced in 2024 when a YouGov survey found that a significant number of UK respondents preferred blue packets for Salt and Vinegar crisps and green packets for Cheese and Onion crisps. This was followed by an April Fools' campaign created by VCCP, a global creative agency, which featured billboards showing Walkers Salt and Vinegar crisps in blue packaging and Cheese and Onion crisps in green. The campaign played on the long-standing controversy and sparked reactions from fans of the brand.
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Golden Wonder was the UK's market leader until the 1990s
Golden Wonder was the UK's market leader for crisps until the 1990s. The brand was at its peak in the 1960s, and it continued to dominate the crisp market in the 1980s. However, Golden Wonder's market leadership began to wane in the 1990s due to several factors.
Firstly, the UK crisp market experienced significant expansion, growing to a value of over £2 billion per year. This expansion brought increased competition, with new brands and products entering the market. Golden Wonder struggled to keep up with the innovation and changing consumer trends, as competitors introduced new ranges and advertising campaigns.
Secondly, there was a growing concern over unhealthy eating habits, particularly related to fat and salt intake. As a result, total crisp and snack consumption in the UK dropped by 12% between 2002 and 2005. Golden Wonder was likely impacted by this shift in consumer behaviour, as consumers increasingly sought healthier alternatives.
Thirdly, Golden Wonder faced challenges in meeting the conflicting demands of consumers and retailers. Consumers demanded high-quality products at low prices, while retailers expected high profit margins. This put pressure on Golden Wonder's profitability and market position.
In addition, the rise of rival brand Walkers contributed to Golden Wonder's decline. Walkers gained prominence in the 1990s after being acquired by PepsiCo, a leading snack food company. With significant financial backing, Walkers was able to invest heavily in product development, advertising, and promoting healthier options, attracting consumers away from Golden Wonder.
Golden Wonder also made strategic decisions that impacted its market position. In 2002, the company sold its popular Wotsits brand to Walkers, and in 2006, it entered administration, facing significant financial losses. As a result, Golden Wonder was acquired by Tayto, and while it continues to produce crisps and snacks, it is no longer the market leader it once was in the UK.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps have always been in blue packets. However, most other crisp brands use green packaging for this flavour.
Many people have a strong memory of Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps being packaged in green. Some have suggested that this is due to a mix-up with Golden Wonder crisps, which led people to assume that Walkers followed the same colour scheme. Others have pointed to a specific Walkers advert in which football teams swap blue and green shirts to mark the packets switching colours.
Walkers decided to differentiate themselves from other crisp brands by using blue packaging for their Cheese and Onion flavour. The blue packet colour is also an homage to the Midlands, where the flavour hails from.
