Latest news with #alcopops
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Iconic 90s alcopop RETURNS to pubs and supermarkets with a new name 10 years after being discontinued
CLASSIC Nineties drink Bacardi Breezer is continuing the summer of nostalgia — by returning to pubs and stores. The fruity rum alcopops were once a rite of passage for teenagers having their first alcoholic drinks. 2 Now, in a summer that has already seen legendary '90s band Oasis reunite to play mega stadium gigs, and Pulp perform at Glastonbury for the first time since 1995, the boozy brand has also made a comeback. It has been rebranded simply as Breezer — with its memorable orange, lime and watermelon flavours also returning. The drink was first released in the United States in 1990 before it was made available for the first time in the UK three years later. It quickly proved to be a hit. Alcopops were wildly popular with the country's drinkers at the time — with the competition including Smirnoff Ice, Hooper's Hooch, WKD, and later on VK and Reef. But the product was discontinued from sale in the country ten years ago. Now 275ml glass bottles of the 3.4 per cent drink are once again available in supermarkets and bars. Claire Presland, from Breezer, said of the drink's return: 'The excitement around the relaunch of Breezer is electric . . . we're confident that the new Breezer flavours will hit the sweet spot for fans old and new.' Bacardi Breezers are just the latest nostalgic products to return to shelves lately. Recently, Opal Fruits were brought back a whopping 27 years after they were axed. HANGOVER CURE The iconic sweets were rebranded as Starburst in 1998. The individually wrapped chewy squares are now available again in Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons. Coca-Cola also brought back its Lime-flavoured drink after axing it around 17 years ago. As of December, Farm Foods was selling a pack of eight 330ml cans of the drink. Ocado and Iceland are also currently selling a 1.75litre bottle of Lime Coca-Cola for £2.50 online. Meanwhile, Tesco recently turned the clocks back to 1995 by selling a range of products in their retro packaging. Classic items like Robinsons, Wagon Wheels and Rocky Bars were all selling in their original packaging for a limited time. The range also included retro fizzy drinks like Pepsi, Pepsi Max, and Tango Orange, Apple and Cherry.
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I tested ‘new' 90s alcopops from Hooch to Reef – £1.68 winner is real blast from past & a bargain to boot
GOOD news if you're gripped with Oasis comeback fever and pining for Nineties nostalgia. Alcopops from the era are set for a revival with the fruity drinks back in the spotlight, thanks to our thirst for all things from the fun-filled decade. Boozy lemonade sip Hooch is about to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a relaunch of its original 1995 can. And with rum-laced Bacardi Breezers recently reintroduced, there's never been a better time to revisit these retro tipples. But which ones are still worth glugging, and which might be better left in the past? Here, drinks expert Helena Nicklin tries a selection and gives us her verdict. Reef, 10 x 275ml, £8.50, B&M THE recent return of Solero-flavoured sipper Reef helped fuel nostalgia for naughty-but-nice Nineties drinks – and one sip of this will take you straight back to 1997. Flat and fruity, and made with a whack of real juice, this tropical-tastic tipple has a touch of the passion fruit martini about it and it's very inviting. Super-sweet and tangy, it scores high on the summer refreshment scale, especially if it's served ice-cold straight from the fridge or cool box. A great one for sunny days in the garden when you want a vibrant drink to match the mood. Fury as cost of 12-pack of beer set to soar by £1 thanks to sinister new tax brought in by Labour It's a great price when you buy the pack of ten, too. Rating: 4/5 Aldi Blue, 700ml, £1.99, Aldi KING of the dupes Aldi has unsurprisingly copied the best-selling, bright blue bevvy that is WKD – and here's the thing: in my opinion they've done it better than the original makers. This toned-down vodka-based tipple tastes a little lighter than the original glugger but I'd say in this instance it's all the better for it. The end drink is now not as claggy and made with less tooth- stripping sweetener. Its generic fruity taste is still just as fake and non-specific, but if you like that blue fruit style and flavour you'll love this. And it will save you a fair bit of money too, as it's way cheaper than the more famous alternative. Rating: 3/5 Breezer Watermelon, 275ml, £3.29, Costcutter THE rum drink you might remember from its former incarnation as a Bacardi Breezer is back with a bang and a new name for 2025. Now just known as ' Breezers ', these colourful tipples have had a flavour overhaul too – and in my opinion the change has been for the better. The new fruity flavours in the comeback line-up are orange, lime and a watermelon wonder, which is deeply refreshing and, remarkably, not too sweet despite what the ravishing red colour suggests. Still in the original shaped bottle, it feels vaguely natural- tasting too, with a subtle boozy bite. A guilty pleasure well worth a glug all these years later. Rating: 5/5 VK Apple & Mango, 10 x 275ml, £9, Morrisons WITH these boozy bottles working out at less than a pound a go when bought in bulk at Morrisons, the colourful, caffeine-fuelled alcopop- style ready-to-drink cocktails are almost suspiciously cheap. Packing a punch in the flavour department though, this fruity apple and mango glugger is a decent enough drop. And I have to admit that, if you find your energy levels flagging, one of these will certainly wake you up and leave you buzzing. A drink with a proper kick, and not just from the vodka it contains. Be careful not to have too many of an evening or you'll be awake all night . . . Rating: 3/5 WKD Blue, 700ml, £3.50, Sainsbury's THIS tingling tipple with its garish blue hue might take you straight back to your misspent youth but, remarkably, it is still so popular that it even has its own dupes in discount supermarkets, so clearly lots of people still enjoy drinking it. Made with vodka, fruity flavouring plus an added caffeine kick, it's invigorating in a generic way but also without really tasting of anything in particular. Drinking this is a sugary hangover waiting to happen – and it leaves your teeth feeling furry too, so your dentist probably won't like it. Sup it if there's nothing else, but I think there are much better bottled premixed boozes out there. Rating: 1/5 Smirnoff Ice, 700ml, £3.12, Asda THIS Nineties classic is still going strong and, moving on from its nightclubbing days, it now looks smarter than ever with its retro-chic and vintage packaging makeover, which actually looks very cool. As well as coming in a bottle you won't be embarrassed to be seen glugging from as a grown-up, the flavour seems to me to be much sweeter than it used to be back in the day. 9 Sipping this tastes of tart, cloudy lemonade with only the very faintest hint of a vodka kick, so if you don't like it too strong that might appeal. Not a lurid colour and served very cold over ice with a slice, it's remarkably drinkable. Rating: 3/5 Hooch Lemon, 440ml, £1.68, Asda SPIKED lemonade Hooch was the original alcopop, as anyone who was around in the Nineties will know. And to celebrate its birthday it has now been relaunched in a cool-looking limited edition can, like the one that originally hit shelves in 1995. That's bound to be nostalgic enough for anyone who remembers it from the first time around, and its zesty lemon flavour and pale-ish colour remain pretty authentic too. For drinkers of any age, the vodka hit feels more subtle and balanced than it used to. One to opt for if you like Limoncello but want your drink long, and much drier! A real blast from the past. Lovely with ice and a slice – and a bargain to boot. Rating: 5/5 Malibu and Cola, 250ml, £2.25, Sainsbury's NOTHING gives you those beach-holiday vibes quite like the coconut booze Malibu. And this premixed rum cocktail, with those nostalgic flavours that will take lots of us right back to our carefree younger days, has been done really well. Flavour-wise, it has a beautiful balance, with that creamy coconut rum just shining through the cola enough. Obviously the mixer here is not 'the real thing' and it is very sweet – though it always was, even back in the day. Serve this over ice with a twist of lime to tone down the sugar. A delicious on-the-go cocktail you can rely on. Fabulous and fun.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Nostalgic alcoholic drink to return to supermarkets this summer after being discontinued 10 years ago
A NOSTALGIC alcopop that was much-loved by clubbers in the 90s and 2000s is returning to supermarket shelves. Ten years after disappearing from British supermarkets and convenience stores, Bacardi Breezers are back. They'll be coming in the flavours Zesty Orange, Zingy Lime and Crispy Watermelon and will be priced at just £2 a bottle. The fruity alcopops were once a rite of passage for teenagers having their first alcoholic drinks or going clubbing for the first time. Many will have fond memories - and now they'll be able to enjoy the nostalgic drink once again, just in time for the summer. You'll be able to get Bacardi Breezers in major supermarkets and in convenience stores too. They'll be landing in B&M from July, Aldi from August and Sainsbury's from September. Bacardi has said they'll be available in convenience stores from July but some shops have already said they've got the alcopops in stock. They include Stevenston Post Office & Convenience Store in Scotland, USAVE Grocery Store in Carnbroe, Your Store Premier Sinclair Street in Greenock and Premier Express Linwood. The shops have all posted photos of the Breezers on their shelves, with one teasing: "Guess what's back." Bacardi Breezers first launched in 1990 and quickly became a nationwide phenomenon. Alcopops were wildly popular at the time and the competition included Smirnoff Ice, Hooper's Hooch, WKD, and later on VK and Reef. HANGOVER CURE Breezers then disappeared off shelves in 2015, leaving shoppers disappointed. More grown-up flavours like lemon and elderflower were launched in 2019, but the original Breezer flavours haven't been seen in the UK for 10 years. They will now be permanent additions to supermarket shelves, Bacardi has told The Sun. The company has said one of the reasons for the return is "strong demand from a new generation of consumers". Flavoured alcoholic drinks are becoming more popular, particularly among Gen Z. In particular, the pre-mixed Buzzballz have been going viral on TikTok. Bacardi is hoping the Breezers will appeal both to the younger generation and to those who will remember when they were last on shelves. The brand recently brought back another popular alcoholic drink. Patrón XO Cafe, a coffee liqueur drink, was discontinued four years ago - but brought back again in 2024. It's now available to order at 24 branches of The Alchemist across the country, including London, Birmingham and Leeds. What other nostalgic products are being brought back? Bacardi Breezers are just the latest nostalgic products to return to shelves lately. Recently Opal Fruits were brought back a whopping 27 years years after they were axed. The iconic sweets were rebranded as Starburst in 1998. The individually wrapped chewy squares are now available again in Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons. Coca-Cola also brought back its Lime-flavoured drink after axing it around 17 years ago. As of December, Farm Foods was selling a pack of eight 330ml cans of the drink. Ocado and Iceland are also currently selling a 1.75litre bottle of Lime Coca-Cola for £2.50 online. Meanwhile, Tesco recently turned the clocks back to 1995 by selling a range of products in their retro packaging. Classic items like Robinsons, Wagon Wheels and Rocky Bars were all selling in their original packaging for a limited time. The range also included retro fizzy drinks like Pepsi, Pepsi Max, and Tango Orange, Apple and Cherry.
