Customers Upset After Beloved Summer Popsicle Gets Major Change

Popsicle gave the SpongeBob Squarepants ice cream a makeover for the summer and fans aren't happy.

Instagram snack influencer Markie Devo shared a side-by-side photo featuring both the old version and new version of the frozen treat, showing that the gumball eyes are gone; they've now been replaced with chocolate eyes. The fruit punch and cotton candy flavor of the rest of the popsicle remains the same, but Devo considered the switch to be a big change.

"Wait a forkin min here!!! What in the heck did they do to the Spongebob Popsicle?," he wrote in the caption.

While chocolate sounds like a welcomed addition for most ice cream flavors, the eye's flavoring doesn't quite match the tropical candy taste of the ice cream. Devo's followers agreed that it was a misstep, not holding back in their disappointment.

"I'm sorry why would I want chocolate with my fruit punch and cotton candy ughhhhh always gotta ruin a good thing 😭😭," someone remarked. "This is an absolute crime against humanity 😂 Farewell gumball spongebob, you'll be missed," commented another.

A commenter offered a better alternate to Popsicle, writing, "They should just use white chocolate and flavour it like bubble gum. That way it's still safe for kids but tastes the same."

TikToker Brent Television, who has dedicated his account to finding the perfect SpongeBob popsicle, made a video shortly after Devo's took off, where he shared his negative reaction to the switch.

After the post went viral, TODAY.com reached out to Popsicle for comment on the change. A representative for company responded via email, writing, "The Popsicle brand is always looking for ways to improve their products and made the decision to remove the gumballs." They added, "Gumballs will be replaced with a thin chocolatey layer for the eyes instead. This new version is available in stores now. We know that this product is beloved by many, and we hope our fans will enjoy the new and improved design."

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