Tazos

Forgotten Collectibles · 1996

Tazos began as a PepsiCo snack promotion in Mexico before spreading worldwide. In Britain, Walkers distributed the circular collectible discs inside crisp packets during 1996.

The principal UK collection contained 110 numbered pieces: 50 Looney Tunes Tazos, 20 World Tazos and 40 Monster Munch Tazos across two series. Their artwork, point values and notched edges encouraged collecting, trading and connecting the discs into shapes. Two unnumbered Walkerman Tazos and a plastic Mega Tazo slammer sat outside the numbered 110.

Why It Mattered

Tazos turned opening a packet of crisps into a chance-based collecting ritual. Children checked each packet, compared numbers, swapped duplicates and filled spaces in the official album.

Scarcity increased the appeal: Looney Tunes numbers 21–30 featured Taz and were available through Doritos rather than ordinary Walkers packets. Marketing Week reported that approximately 1.1 million collector’s albums were sold, demonstrating how successfully the promotion combined snack purchases, licensed characters and playground exchange.

The 110-Piece UK Collection

Origins: Tazos began as a Sabritas / PepsiCo snack promotion in Mexico before expanding internationally.
Promoter / Distributor: Walkers Snack Foods, part of PepsiCo, ran the principal British promotion in 1996 across Walkers, Doritos and Monster Munch packets.
Format: Small circular printed collectibles with multiple slots around their edges.
Function: The slots allowed Tazos to be connected into shapes, while printed numbers and point values supported collecting and informal games.

Packets, Albums and Scarcity

Complete UK Collection: The principal 1996 promotion contained 110 numbered Tazos across four releases.
Looney Tunes: 50 Tazos numbered 1–50. Numbers 21–30 featured Taz and were distributed through Doritos.
World Tazos: 20 Looney Tunes characters portraying historical and cultural figures, numbered 51–70.
Monster Munch Series 1: 30 designs numbered 1–30.
Monster Munch Series 2: 10 further designs numbered 31–40.
Additional Items: Two unnumbered Walkerman Tazos and a plastic Mega Tazo slammer were associated with the promotion but sat outside the numbered 110.
Album Sales: Marketing Week reported that approximately 1.1 million collector’s albums were sold.

Later Campaigns and Survival

End of Original Promotion: The 1996 collections were limited snack promotions rather than permanent product ranges.
Changing Licences: Later campaigns moved to subjects including Star Wars, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! instead of extending the original 110.
Survival: Loose discs, the Walkerman pieces, slammers, storage tubes and completed albums remain in private collections.
Condition: Printed discs were vulnerable to creasing, staining and damage from handling or storage inside crisp packets.
Relative Scarcity: Taz designs 21–30 are harder to find because they were distributed through Doritos; Walkerman pieces, the slammer and completed albums survive as separate collector items.
Legacy: The promotion remains a prominent example of 1990s snack-premium marketing built around collecting, scarcity and playground trading.