19-05-2025
Mystery solved as Aussie shoppers accuse Arnott's of 're-branding' beloved biscuit
Debate has erupted online amongst Aussie biscuit lovers, after some claimed that a currently on-shelf Arnott's product was a 're-brand' of a 'discontinued 'product.
But investigations by our lifestyle team have proved this theory incorrect.
The biscuit mystery was sparked in response to a recent Facebook post about the classic Arnott's Chocolate Wheaten Biscuits.
On the 'Memory Lane - Growing up in Australia' Facebook page, one member shared a nostalgic post expressing their fondness for the beloved biscuit.
The post remembered the former 'fave' childhood treat as 'simple but a little bit fancy for us kids cause they had chocolate on them'.
The innocent post lit up with comments from biscuit lovers – many of whom responded with surprise about the popular item no longer being available on shelves.
'I'd forgotten about these, didn't realise they were discontinued,' read one reply.
But among the responses were also many commenters insisting that Arnott's Chocolate Wheaten Biscuits were indeed still available in shops.
'You can still buy them,' read one reply.
Furthermore, other shoppers were adamant that Arnott's had simply re-branded and renamed their Chocolate Wheaten Biscuits as Arnott's Milk Chocolate Digestives.
'Now they're called Digestives,' asserted one response.
This claim that Milk Chocolate Digestives are a re-branded version Arnott's Chocolate Wheaten makes logical sense given their visual similarities.
Both products feature a plain wheat biscuit with hole details, while the back of the biscuit is dipped into milk chocolate featuring a distinctive ripple line pattern.
FEMAIL approached an Arnott's spokesperson to seek clarity around whether Arnott's Milk Chocolate Digestives were indeed a re-branded replica of the original Arnott's Chocolate Wheaten Biscuits.
Arnott's Chocolate Portfolio Senior Marketing Manager Rebecca Chan set the record straight – confirming that although the biscuits are 'similar', they are not in fact the same.
'While Arnott's Chocolate Wheaten biscuits were discontinued in 2017, we know they still hold a special place in the hearts of many Aussies,' Rebecca said.
'For those craving a similar satisfying crunch with a hint of chocolate, our Arnott's Digestive range available at Independent retailers is a great alternative.'
Indeed, a comparison between the ingredients lists of the two products shows up some key differences.
Both biscuits similarly list wheat flour as the product's first and main ingredient.
This is followed by a milk chocolate blend, comprised of sugar, milk solids, cocoa butter, cocoa mass and vegetable oil.
However, a key difference with the original Chocolate Wheaten is it contains golden syrup.
And while Milk Chocolate Digestives lack golden syrup, they instead contain condensed milk and honey.
Arnott's spokesperson Rebecca also noted that Arnott's Digestives are available in two varieties: Milk Chocolate and Fruit & Milk Chocolate.
'They're a delicious pick - perfect for pairing with a cuppa,' the marketing manager suggested.
However, perhaps adding to the recent confusion is the fact that a Google search for Arnott's Chocolate Wheaten Biscuits turns up a live Woolworths product listing - although its perpetually listed as 'Out of Stock'.
Before Arnott's produced Chocolate Wheatens, the biscuit was originally made by another Aussie biscuit company, Weston's.
When the Camperdown, Sydney business was put up for sale in 2003, it was acquired by Arnott's, who produced Chocolate Wheatens under their own brand until they were discontinued in 2017.
Fans of the original Weston's Chocolate Wheaten biscuits may recall a memorable 90s TV commercial that featured a talking scarecrow. The animated ad saw the scarecrow proclaiming his love for the biscuit because they were 'filled with wheat – just like me'.
On the contrary, the origin of digestive biscuits traces back to 1830s Scotland, when two doctors designed the 'semi-sweet biscuit' to be eaten as a digestive aid.
UK company McVitie's were the first to commercially manufacture digestives, with their original product launched in 1892.
