Arnott's Shapes

Arnott's Shapes are a popular line of savoury biscuits produced by Arnott's in Australia.[1] First produced in Victoria in 1954,[2] they were originally made in the shape of potato chips, until bakers realised they were too difficult to cut and were a waste of dough. In 1974, they switched to the flat biscuits, which are sold today.

Arnott's Shapes are sold in different packaging including multi-pack bags and boxes. In Australia, during the mid-1990s, Arnott's reduced the box packaging size of the core flavours from 250 grams to 200 grams. During 2011, Arnott's further reduced the packaging size from 200 grams to 175–185 grams.[3] The reason for the name "Shapes" is because of the variety of the individual biscuit shapes, depending on the flavour. Arnott's boasts that Shapes are "[oven] baked, not fried", which is a less fatty method of cooking; however, Shapes are still high in fat at 20–25% and high in sodium.[4]

Over 53 million packets of Shapes are consumed each year in Australia.[5] In April 2016, Arnott's altered the Shapes recipe for each of its core flavours, having the flavouring baked into the biscuit rather than as seasoning.[6] Consumer backlash was sparked over the updated formula, prompting the company to backtrack on their decision. In September they restored the original Pizza and Barbecue recipes under the 'Originals' range, as well as leaving the recipe for Chicken Crimpy intact. [7] To date, the pre-2016 recipe for every core flavour has been restored with the exception of Nacho Cheese and Chicken Drumstick, the latter having been discontinued.

In 2019, Arnott's introduced a new 'Aussie Legends' range of Shapes, which introduced new flavours based on popular Australian foods. Aussie Legend varieties include: saussage sizzle, meat pie, and lamb & rosemary.[8]