20 February 2024 , 13:10
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Lyle's Golden Syrup is one the most quintessential products you can find in supermarkets, and has been around since 1885.
Britain's oldest brand has never failed to keep customers, who rally back for more golden sweetness every time they want to bake some good old-fashioned cakes. You probably drizzled the golden liquid on your pancakes this month, without paying much attention to the packaging.
But as the company announces it will rebrand its iconic product for the first time in over a century, a stark reality has suddenly dawned on Brits. Just take a look at the yellow lion in the white circle in the middle - what do you see?
See anything a bit weird? (REX/Shutterstock)Most of us never really gave him a proper look, or just assumed he was sleeping, but that is nothing more than wishful thinking. It turns out he's actually dead. Hmmm, syrup anyone?
Highlighting the issue back in 2018, Reddit user jshjspr posted: "Did anyone else know that the logo on Lyle's Golden Syrup is an image of a lion carcass being used by bees to make honey?" And it turns out he wasn't the only one who had never realised what it was.
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One user replied: "This is the most depressing thing I've learnt since I found out that the little piggy who went to market was not going on a shopping trip." While another said: "I did not know this. That's pretty dark." A third added: "I didn't need to know this."
Others realised the lion was dead, but assumed the dots around it were flies. One said: "Always thought they were flies, which was disturbing. This is slightly better and makes far more sense."
But don't worry, it's not just a terrifying design and there is actually a Biblical explanation behind it. Creator Abram Lyle decided to use the Bible's Lion and the Bees story for his packaging. In the tale, Samson kills a lion with his bare hands.
When he returns to the carcass a few days later he noticed a swarm of bees had build a hive inside. So, Samson took the honey and gave it to his parents. When asked where he got it from, he said: "Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet."
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The dead lion will soon be replaced with a single bee, in keeping with the biblical theme. Lyle's confirmed the rollout of the new packaging will begin this month and will cover the brand's full-sized bottles, breaking bottles, dessert toppings and golden syrups tubs.
James Whiteley, Brand Director for Lyle’s Golden Syrup, said: "We're excited to unveil a fresh redesign for the Lyle's Golden Syrup brand. For a century and a half, Lyle's has added flavour and fun to the breakfast table and in foods that the whole family love, bringing a delicious dose of absolutely golden magic to any moment.
"While we’ll continue to honour our original branding with the heritage tin, consumers need to see brands moving with the times and meeting their current needs. Our fresh, contemporary design brings Lyle’s into the modern day, appealing to the everyday British household while still feeling nostalgic and authentically Lyle’s. We're confident that the fresh new design will make it easier for consumers to discover Lyle's as an affordable, everyday treat, while re-establishing the brand as the go-to syrup brand for the modern UK family, featuring the same delicious taste that makes you feel Absolutely Golden."
But it's clear many still hadn't noticed the dark packaging, despite it previously going viral. "Never realised all these years, it was a dead lion," one person wrote on X (previously Twitter).
Another said: "I'm today years old knowing Tate & Lyle had a dead Lion on the logo." While a third wrote: "I thought it was asleep!"
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Did you know about the controversial logo? Let us know in the comments section below