A local bakery has ended more than four decades of iced bun production after claiming customers no longer buy them.
Burns The Bread in Somerset confirmed the beloved British treat would no longer be available on its shelves.
The decision to axe the product after 43 years came after it went largely unnoticed when it was absent during National Doughnut Week earlier this month.
A decade ago, the bakery chain was selling approximately 400 of the sweet treats each day.
That figure has since collapsed to a mere 50 across all six of its locations.
The company announced the news to their customers online.
They said: "So, with heavy hearts (and slightly sticky fingers), we lay the Iced Bun to rest."
Casey Stoddart, the 34-year-old manager, attributed the discontinuation to shifting consumer preferences.
A local bakery has ended more than four decades of iced bun production after claiming customers no longer buy them
|She added: "People's tastes have changed, they are much more sophisticated now.
"We need to cater for what most people want."
The traditional finger-shaped rolls topped with white or pink icing have long been considered a quintessentially British treat.
They are commonly found in school canteens and high street bakeries throughout the country.
However, the dramatic decline in sales suggests that modern customers are increasingly turning away from such nostalgic offerings in favour of more contemporary options.
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Burns The Bread in Somerset confirmed that the beloved British treat would no longer be available on its shelves
|BURNS THE BREAD
The announcement prompted a range of responses from the public.
Local resident Charlotte Winkley expressed her disappointment, saying: "That's a shame I love them."
Another customer added: "No! They have been my 8-year-old's favourite for years."
A third disagreed, arguing: "It's just a hot dog bun with icing on top."
Burns The Bread is not the first bakery to abandon the iced bun.
The traditional finger-shaped rolls topped with white or pink icing have long been considered a quintessentially British treat
|BURNS THE BREAD
Greggs removed the item, sometimes referred to as sticky willys, from its menu back in 2017.
A subsequent petition to Parliament calling for its return attracted just 69 signatures.
The treat holds fond memories for many Britons, including Great British Bake Off presenter Paul Hollywood, who said: "I remember disappearing downstairs and nicking iced buns".
Iced buns are believed to have first appeared in the mid-nineteenth century, though they gained widespread popularity in post-war Britain during the 1950s.
The sweet treats have also featured in Pixar's animated film Brave and appeared in the writings of Enid Blyton.