After more than four decades on bakery shelves, the classic iced bun has been discontinued by Burns The Bread, a Somerset-based bakery, due to waning customer demand. The company announced the decision following National Doughnut Week earlier this month, during which the iced bun was notably absent from its product lineup and went largely unnoticed.

Once selling around 400 iced buns daily across its six stores, Burns The Bread reported sales had fallen dramatically to about 50 a day in recent times. Manager Casey Stoddart, 34, attributed the decline to shifting consumer preferences, saying, “People’s tastes have changed, they’re much more sophisticated now. We need to cater for what most people want.”

The bakery’s farewell message to the iced bun, posted online, acknowledged the end of a 43-year tradition with some wistfulness. The product, also colloquially known as a Sticky Willy, has become increasingly rare in UK bakeries. In fact, Greggs, one of the country’s largest bakery chains, discontinued its version of the iced bun back in 2017.

Public reaction to the discontinuation has been mixed. Some locals expressed disappointment, like Charlotte Winkley, who said, “That’s a shame I love them,” while others viewed the product less favorably. Alison Hawley remarked, “It’s just a hot dog bun with icing on top.”

An attempt to reverse the decision gained little traction; a petition submitted to Parliament calling for the reinstatement of the iced bun garnered only 69 signatures, underscoring its diminished place in contemporary consumer habits. As tastes evolve, it appears the iced bun is becoming a relic of a bygone era in British baking.