Rumours surrounding the discontinuation of Pods, a popular confectionary item, have been confirmed as true - devastating Kiwi fans of the chocolatey treat.
Whether it's the Snickers or Mars flavour, the crunchy, gooey morsels appear to have captured the hearts of many, with the confirmation of their discontinuation sending Kiwis into a frenzy on social media.
Word of the sweets being whipped off the shelves first circulated on Reddit. On Wednesday, a user posted a screenshot of an email they received from Mars New Zealand, the company behind Pods, confirming the treat is "no longer available".
"Thank you for contacting us about PODS," the email read.
"We are sorry to tell you that this product is not being manufactured and is no longer available."
In a strange turn of events, another Reddit user shared a different email from Mars New Zealand on Friday, appearing to contradict the previous statement.
"We are happy to share with you that the product is still available for purchase in 160g and 310g packs," the email read.
"However, the 280g pack is no longer being manufactured."
Reddit users were stoked. "The relief I feel is immense," said one.
"This has been a rollercoaster of emotions," added another.
But the rollercoaster wasn't to end there.
On Friday afternoon, a TVNZ reporter shared a statement to Twitter after putting a formal media request to Mars.
"New Zealand, I have some very sad news," he captioned it.
"The rumours are true, PODS are being discontinued."
The statement from Mars New Zealand general manager Peter Simmons reads:
"Due to changes in our manufacturing capability, we've had to make the difficult decision to discontinue PODS.
"We don't make these decisions lightly, and when we do, we always try to balance the expectations of our customers with the needs of our business. We recognise some will be disappointed by this change, and we hope it's not long before they find a new favourite treat from the Mars line-up."
Twitter users are, understandably, upset and confused.
"I read somewhere that it was just a certain size bag being discontinued. I'm so lost on this lmao," wrote one.
"I think this is some of the most tragic news events in New Zealand as of late, thank you for your diligent efforts."
"I’m actually devastated."
"I can deal with the housing crisis, but this is a step too far."
Pods are still available to purchase on New World's website, however they couldn't be located on Countdown's.
