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28th April 2025
10:35am BST
The makers of one of Britain’s most beloved biscuits has revealed that we could have all been eating it the wrong way round – sparking debate on social media.
McVitie’s general manager Anthony Coulson has spoken out about the iconic digestive biscuit ahead of events to celebrate its 100th birthday.
Speaking to the BBC, he explained that most people have been eating the snack the wrong way up – saying it is totally illogical to eat them chocolate side up.
"One of the very first things I learnt when I got to join McVitie's was chocolate side down to eat the digestive”, Coulson told BBC Radio Manchester.
He admitted that up until then, he’d “always eaten it the other way round”, adding that it’s a personal choice, and it’s up to people how they eat their chocolate digestives, but he explained the logic behind his statement.
The theory behind the upside-down chocolate digestive munching is that the chocolate begins to melt.
The flavour is said to be better this way, with Coulston adding that it “just makes sense”.
The revelation has sparked a baffled response on social media, with TikToker 'FoodWithASB' putting the debate out to his thousands of followers recently.
Shockingly, most people commenting said they already are eating digestives with the chocolate facing down!
One follower said: “I always knew it was on the bottom, I thought it was obvious”, while Kieran West wrote: "I used to always say this but everyone with disagree."
Another TikToker wrote: “This is obvious - the chocolate on the tongue gives more taste.”
And another poster agreed, writing “well if you eat it with the chocolate on the bottom the chocolate touches your taste buds first”.
The debate comes as the legendary chocolate digestive turns 100 years-old this year, with a series of incredible biscuit-based portraits depicting British icons commissioned to mark the anniversary.
Biscuit-based portraits of David Bowie, Sir Trevor McDonald, and Dame Judi Dench have all been crafted by award-winning mosaic artist Ed Chapman following a nationwide McVitie’s poll to name the top 10 ’True Original’ British icons.
The handcrafted portraits, which took over 180 hours to complete using over 1,000 biscuits, were made using whole and mosaic fragments of McVitie’s Digestives - including Milk Gold, White and Dark.
McVitie’s commissioned a poll of 2,000 adults living in the UK, asking them to name their ultimate ‘True Original’ British icons. Individuals who have shaped and formed British culture in their own unique way, just as McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives have, over the past century.
David Bowie, Sir Trevor McDonald, and Dame Judi Dench who all featured in the top 10 were selected to be immortalised in biscuit form. The three portraits will go on display at The McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives Experience, an immersive pop up set to open in London in celebration of the nation’s favourite biscuit’s 100th birthday.
The McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives Experience will open to the public for free from Friday 2 - Monday 5 May, from 11am – 7pm, and the portraits will sit within a dedicated gallery area of the concept store, alongside a collection of other biscuit-based artwork.
The art collection will feature pieces inspired by, and some made from, McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives. They may look delicious, but they're strictly for viewing only!
Alongside the portraits, visitors can explore an interactive timeline tracing how McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives have remained a staple of British culture for a century, while also enjoying exclusive chocolate digestive creations at the Biscuit Bar and getting their hands on limited-edition merch - all set to make this a celebration as iconic as the biscuit itself.
Benazir Barlet-Batada, Marketing Director for McVitie’s, comments: "As an all-round icon and the True Original of the biscuit world, McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives have long been intertwined with British culture and history, making it only fitting to immortalise other British icons in biscuit form as part of our 100th anniversary celebrations.
"From Bowie’s first UK number one hit in 1975, to Dame Judi Dench’s Oscar triumph, and Sir Trevor McDonald’s historic knighthood in 1999, these biscuits have been there through the decades, witnessing countless legendary moments.
"The portraits created by Ed are truly remarkable works of art, and the perfect way to play testament to McVitie’s rich heritage."
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