6 Discontinued Food Items Like 7-Eleven's Mr Softee & Orange Yakult That Left Fans Devastated After Their Departure

"My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined"

"Taking it away may feel like a loss of a part of our memory," said Prof Ng, whose speciality is consumer behaviour.

As a result, consumers mourn what the product represents to them rather than the product itself.

Such feelings of nostalgia can persist even if people do not consume that particular product regularly, she added.

Drawing on her own experience, Prof Ng recalled buying cartons of Yeo's drinks while living in the United States because they reminded her of Singapore, even though she rarely drinks them now.

"But will I be sad if Yeo’s stops producing the local drinks? I think I would," she said

Beyond nostalgia, consumers may also be reacting to the change itself.

Associate Professor Chan Kai Qin, a senior lecturer at James Cook University who specialises in psychology, said that people tend to dislike disruptions to familiar routines, citing the status quo bias - a preference for keeping things the way they are.

Considering Yakult has been a fixture in Singapore for decades, any departure from the familiar was bound to trigger a reaction, he said.

The backlash may also be explained by loss aversion, a concept that suggests people feel the pain of losing something more strongly than the pleasure of gaining something new.

Consumers may not view the new peach flavour as a “real gain”, he said, as Yakult's competitor Vitagen already offers a peach-flavoured probiotic drink.

“What they are gaining isn't a new experience; it's a familiar brand name that has acquired a flavour familiar to them already,” Dr Chan said.

“If people really wanted peach, they would have bought Vitagen,” he said.

According to Yakult Singapore, the orange flavour will be replaced due to "production capacity constraints at our Singapore factory".

The company added that consumer demand also played a role in the decision, noting that peach was among the flavours most frequently requested by customers in Singapore and has proven popular in other markets.

But clearly, not everyone is convinced.

One netizen wrote: "My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined."

“Scarcity increases perceived value”

The reaction to Orange Yakult’s fate also highlights how products often attract the most attention when they are about to disappear.

Associate Professor Chen Lou from NTU's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, said that products can take on greater value in consumers’ mind once their availability is threatened.

"Scarcity increases perceived value. People often want something more when they realise they may no longer be able to get it," said Assoc Prof Chen, who specialises in consumer psychology and advertising effects.

The discontinuation of a product can sometimes generate even more interest than the product itself once did.

"Discontinuation can spark nostalgia, conversations and media attention, sometimes making the product more culturally relevant than before," she added.

Gone, but not forgotten

From burgers to drinks, here’s a list of discontinued items that fans still miss:

1. KFC's Fish Ole burger

The Fish Ole burger was removed from KFC's menu less than a decade ago, but it continues to surface in many online discussions. In 2023, a petition was launched calling for the burger's return.

2. 7-Eleven's mashed potatoes

The Mr Softee ice cream and the instant mashed potatoes remain among the convenience chain's most missed food items. Such was the demand for Mr Softee that 7-Eleven brought it back a few years ago. It is now available at selected outlets islandwide.

3. 7-Eleven's Mr Softee 

Such was the demand for Mr Softee that 7-Eleven brought it back a few years ago. It is now available at selected outlets islandwide.

4. Anything and Whatever drinks

Launched in 2007 and discontinued three years later, the canned drinks were known for their "blind-box" concept - consumers would not know exactly which flavour they were getting. The brand was backed by an advertising campaign, still memorable to many, that poked fun at people asking for "anything" or "whatever" to drink.

5. McDonald's milkshakes

Previously available only at outlets with dessert kiosks, the milkshakes came in vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavours and were removed from the menu in 2024. Earlier this year, McDonald's launched the berry-flavoured Grimace Shake for a limited time.

6. Orange Yakult

Soon to be replaced by peach yakult from July.

Source: CNA/dc(gr)

The original version of this story first appeared in CNA.

For more CNA stories, visit https://www.channelnewsasia.com.