Tins of Heinz classics are being sold at highly inflated prices on eBay as shoppers are desperate to get their hands on the old recipe.
We reported last year how shoppers were fuming after the company made a big change to its much-loved Beans & Sausages and Spaghetti & Sausages by replacing the sausages with Richmond ones.
Questioning why the company had made changes to such popular products, shoppers were begging for the return of the original porky sausages they were so fond of.
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And with only the Richmond ones now available in supermarkets, it seems shoppers are going to drastic lengths to get their hands on the OGs.
eBay listings for the original recipe tins -Credit:eBay
Tins of the old recipe beans and sausages have been listed on eBay for up to £50, with the spaghetti and sausages also being sold at hugely inflated prices.
One listing has three large tins for £16.96, while another has 10 small tins for £26.99.
There are cheaper listings for the beans and sausages too, but it shows that the original recipe tins are being sought out by shoppers.
Reviews of the new recipe tins have been left on Tesco’s website, where one shopper said about the Spaghetti & Sausages: “New recipe/sausages are awful. Ended up in the bin.” Another said: “Why change the sausage? It’s the consistency. Taste OK but smushy.”
Heinz tins now contain Richmond sausages, but some customers aren’t happy -Credit:Manchester Family / MEN
Commenting on the Beans & Sausages, one reviewer said: “I’ve been eating the original for decades – I won’t be eating these again as the sausages are awful, and will now be trying other brands to see if they compare to the Heinz original that some bright spark working for Heinz has chosen to change, because they could. Some things don’t need fixing.”
Another said: “A classic ruined. These new Richmond sausages are flabby and unappealing. They lack any kind of bite or texture and taste of nothing at all. What a shame.”
And a third added: “Bring back the original Heinz with pork sausages. These are not nice at all. These sausages are just not the same.”
The change means that the products are also no longer gluten free. In its product overview, Heinz said: “Allergen Update: Heinz Beanz with Richmond Pork Sausages is no longer gluten-free, unlike the previous recipe, and now contains gluten, soya and sulphites.”
eBay listings for the original recipe tins -Credit:eBay
For the Spaghetti & Sausages, it also said: “The sausages in this product now contain gluten, and the recipe contains soya and sulphites.”
A spokesperson for Heinz said: “We’ve updated our recipe to include the nation’s favourite sausage brand. We did this in response to resounding consumer feedback about the taste and texture of our sausages and informed shoppers of the change via on-pack labelling, marketing communications and through relevant allergen organisations.”
The M.E.N. has approached Pilgrim’s Food Masters, which produces Richmond sausages, for a comment.
The Richmond website says that it was deemed ‘the nation’s favourite sausage’ due to the fact it sells the most sausages in the UK.