Wrigley’s Extra Thin Ice

Associated With

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company - developer, owner and marketer

Defining Feature

Micro-thin breath-freshening films that dissolved on the tongue

Status

Discontinued - UK withdrawal reported in April 2007

Overview

Wrigley’s Extra Thin Ice dissolved on the tongue, offering breath freshening without chewing gum.

Announced in October 2002, the range reached UK shops in January 2003 as Wrigley’s first UK non-gum product. The translucent films were about an inch long and disappeared on the tongue rather than being chewed like gum or eaten as mints.

Peppermint launched first, followed by spearmint in April 2003. Marketing Week later reported a £5 million launch investment and said in April 2007 that Wrigley was axing the range.

Why It Mattered

Extra Thin Ice took Wrigley beyond chewing gum into an unfamiliar dissolving-film format. It received The Grocer’s first Gold Award for best new product development and, according to figures supplied by Wrigley, recorded strong early results.

Industry sources later suggested that initial trial did not become sustained demand, citing insufficient support, inadequate consumer education and a plastic-like appearance or unpleasant mouthfeel. Its reported withdrawal roughly four years after launch illustrates the difficulty of turning an inventive format into an everyday habit.

Strip Format and Flavours

• The approximately inch-long translucent films were placed on the tongue, where they dissolved rather than being chewed or eaten as conventional mints.
• Peppermint was the original UK flavour; The Grocer reported that spearmint would follow in April 2003.
• Coffee, peach melba and cinnamon extensions were being considered in February 2004.

Launch Claims and Trade Recognition

• The strips were on sale by 21 February 2003.
• Figures attributed to Wrigley gave Extra Thin Ice a 6.9% value share and a cash rate of sale 16% above Extra Peppermint single packs by June 2003; the underlying dataset is not included.
• The product received The Grocer’s first Gold Award for best new product development.
• Marketing Week retrospectively reported a £5 million UK launch investment.

Production and Withdrawal

• In October 2004, Wrigley was reported to be moving breath-strip production equipment from Arizona to Poznań amid falling US volumes and comparatively stronger European demand; this did not establish the UK line’s performance.
• Industry commentary said the strips could look like plastic and feel unpleasant in the mouth, while shoppers received little explanation of how to use them.
• Marketing Week reported on 25 April 2007 that Wrigley was axing the range.

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