For years, Haribo’s Tangfastics have been a sugary staple in sweet shops and supermarket shelves across the UK. Known for their sour tang and iconic gummy shapes, the range includes rings, bears, and one particularly puzzling piece that many believed resembled a key.
But now, that long standing assumption has been turned upside down, leaving fans utterly bewildered.
It all began with a casual Reddit post from a husband who revealed a lighthearted disagreement with his wife over what the gummy shape actually represents.
“After five years of marriage, we’ve just discovered that my wife and I refer to this particular Haribo sweet as something different to each other. What do you call this Haribo?” he asked.
The simple question sparked a storm of debate.
Some insisted it had to be a key. Others were convinced it looked like a magnifying glass or even a stylized letter. But a growing number of users began to suggest it was a dummy or pacifier.
One user wrote, “I used to call them keys.”
Another shared, “I always thought they were meant to be a fizzy version of the ‘ring’ Haribos.”
Even TikTok users joined the conversation. One video that quickly went viral showed a woman folding the sweet in half and discovering that, when bent, the piece actually resembled a baby’s dummy.
“I’m actually shook,” she said, clearly surprised by the discovery.
With the internet divided, Haribo finally stepped in to settle the matter.
In an official statement, the company revealed the sweet in question was never a key at all. It was always meant to be a pacifier.
“It was a key to me, but I know they’re apparently dummies. But they’re clearly not dummies,” said one stunned commenter.
Another reluctantly accepted, “It’s a dummy, but I call it the key.”
Adding to the confusion, some eagle eyed consumers pointed out that the packaging itself has been subtly hinting at the truth all along, with references to “dummies” in the product description. Yet somehow, the image people had of a key managed to stick around for decades.
This isn’t the first time Haribo has left fans questioning everything they thought they knew.
A similar uproar erupted when people learned that the green gummy bear in Haribo’s classic mix isn’t lime or apple flavored, it’s strawberry.
“I was positive they were apple flavored. Man, now I don’t know what to think,” one user confessed.
Another jokingly declared, “Calling the police over whether the green Haribo gummy bears are strawberry or apple.”
Despite flavor labels being printed on the back of the packaging and listed on the company’s website, many consumers admitted they’d never bothered to check.
The latest revelation about the Tangfastics sweet has become a moment of collective confectionery confusion, one that’s prompting many to reexamine even their most nostalgic snack memories.
And whether you still call it a key or finally accept it as a dummy, one thing is certain: Haribo continues to keep fans guessing with the simplest of shapes.
Would you still call it a key? Let us know what you think.
Feature image Credit: Credit: Adobe Stock
