The Cyclical Life of Products

Do you also sometimes wonder what happened to your favourite chocolate, or childhood sweets or cereal, or even your favourite make of appliances, or clothes brand or retail shop or even car? 

Behind the disappearance of a product there is usually a sound financial reason, even if it seems as if that product was so popular that it became part of the fabric of society. 

In our series about The Cycles Present in Any Business we briefly discussed The Product Life Cycle:

Development, -> research and design -> Introduction, launching the product to the market -> Growth, increasing popularity and sales -> Maturity, peak sales and high competition -> Decline, sales fall as the product becomes obsolete. 

Fortunately, for any business, it happens that many products stay in a prolonged maturity state, sometimes becoming the public’s darling and flagship for the company who manufactured or produced it. When a product gets established like this, there is less marketing effort involved. However, as is evident, nothing stays the same forever and, eventually, the product phases out from the market. 

Why do products ‘disappear’?

This may be due to several factors:  

• saturation, 
• competition, 
• sales drop due to a change in consumer habits and demand,
• the rise of e-commerce,
• economic downturns, 
• the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
•  shifting consumer preferences for value, 
• digital adoption, 
• tighter household budgets; high inflation and interest rates have forced households to stop buying non-essentials and switch to cheaper store brands.
• Digital transformation: digital media (streaming/downloads) has replaced physical media.
• Health and lifestyle shifts: reduced demand for high-sugar or, in some cases, traditional items in favor of alternatives.
• Alternative shopping channels: growth in the informal sector and e-commerce has led to a decline in traditional retail sales,

Key Product Categories Experiencing Declines (according to Google)

• Groceries & Fast-Moving Consumer Goods: Consumers are cutting back on branded body soap, kids' products, cheese spread, breakfast cereals, syrup, and tomato sauce. Additionally, sales have slowed for fresh vegetables (replaced by frozen)
• Obsolete Technology: Sales of physical media, including CDs and DVDs, have ceased or declined sharply, leading to the closure of specialty stores.
• Beverages: Lower-sugar alternatives such as Tab and Coca-Cola Lite were removed from the market following a decline in sales.
• Apparel & Textiles: Some branded clothing lines have faced lower demand, with shoppers prioritizing cheaper alternatives.

Why are cars being discontinued?

• SUV Shift: Consumer demand for sedans (like the Corolla Quest) and hatchbacks has dropped in favor of crossovers.
• Technology & Age: Models like the Nissan NP200 were deemed too old to meet modern safety and emissions standards.
• Cost & Pricing: Models like the Ford Puma were deemed too expensive to compete effectively.
• Global Strategies: Automakers are simplifying lineups and focusing on electric vehicles.

“Kan jy nog onthou?”

Be that as it may, it is sometimes still heartbreaking to say goodbye to a childhood favourite, or a product that was part of tradition and one feels a loss that the future generations will not be able to have the same experiences. Out of respect (so to speak) for many of these iconic products that enriched our lives as a nation, here is a list of our fallen ‘heroes’, according to Google. They will be sadly missed:

Discontinued Chocolates & Sweets

• Chocolate Log: Discontinued by Nestlé in 2020.
• Tempo: Replaced by FiveStar in 2017.
• Quality Street: Confirmed discontinued in SA by Nestlé in late 2025.
• Milo Bar: Discontinued around 2020.
• Inside Story: A beloved chocolate bar no longer available.
• Sugus: Original square, fruity chewy sweets.
• Yes/No Bars: Popular 80s/90s chocolates.
• Take Two: Similar to a Twix, popular in the 80s/90s.
• Wicks Bubblegum: Known for its intense flavours.
• Beechies (Violet): Known for the numb-mouth sensation.
• Sunrise Toffees: Discontinued in 1989. 
• Marvellous Creations: Large Cadbury slabs discontinued around 2020.
• Bubbaloo Gum: Chewy bubblegum.
• Caravan: A popular chocolate bar.
• Wilson’s Boiled Sweets: Especially Butterscotch and Humbug. 

Discontinued Snacks & Drinks

• Nesquik: Both chocolate and strawberry flavours were discontinued in 2023.
• Lays Chips: Salt and Vinegar as well as Sour Cream and Onion, according to fans.
• PB Crisps: A 90s peanut butter-filled snack.
• Kreols: Often cited as a top missing snack.
• Holey Moleys: Popular cheesy snack bites.
• Simba O’Gradys: The extra thick sour cream and chives flavor.
• Simba Tomato: Retired after losing a popular vote flavor battle.
• Simba Steers Flavors
• Lays Sour Cream & Onion: Specifically the version in the light green packet.
• Nut Puffs: A classic snack no longer available. 

Cars: Recently Discontinued Models (2024–2025) 

• Nissan: NP200 (end of affordable bakkie era), Qashqai, Micra.
• Toyota: Corolla Quest, C-HR, Land Cruiser 79 V8.
• Ford: Puma (due to high cost), Fiesta, Figo.
• Audi: A4 (replaced by A5 sportback), A8.
• Other: Hyundai Kona, Jeep Renegade, Mazda BT-50, Suzuki Vitara, Honda Ballade, Honda BR-V, Honda WR-V, VW Amarok (110kW).

Significant Brand & Model Exits

• Jaguar: Shifting to electric-only, causing a temporary halt to popular petrol models like the E-Pace and F-Type.
• Datsun: Withdrew from SA in 2022.
• Chevrolet: Exited SA in 2018, though parts support continues via Isuzu.
• Chrysler/Dodge: Left the market in 2017. 

Discontinued Stores and Franchises

• Musica: Closed in 2021 due to digital shift.
• Look & Listen: Closed in 2017.
• Wakaberry: Last stores closed in 2024.

Fashion and Clothing

• Stuttafords (2017): A high-end department store that closed after 159 years due to high retail costs and competition.
• Jay Jays (2015): Australian fashion brand that withdrew from the South African market due to underperformance.
• Forever 21 (2019): Closed its South African operations.
• Busby Group (2020): Retailer of brands like Aldo and Forever New.
• Edcon (2020): While Edgars and Jet survived under new owners, the Edcon group itself went into bankruptcy, leading to massive restructuring.
• International Brands in Edgars (2017): Edcon stopped stocking brands like River Island, Express, Geox, Lucky Brand, and Vero Moda. 

Electronics and Entertainment

• Musica (2021): The Clicks Group closed all stores after 29 years due to the shift from physical CDs/DVDs to digital streaming.
• Dion Wired (2020): Massmart closed this electronics retailer due to poor performance and competition from online shopping.
• Look & Listen (2017): Similar to Musica, it suffered from the decline in physical media sales. 

Toys and Specialized Retail

• Reggies (2010s): Once a major toy store, many branches closed or were converted into Toys R Us.
• Ellies (2024): Electrical and solar company went into liquidation.
• Drip Footwear (2024): Entered liquidation. 

Food and Quick Service Restaurants 

• Scooters Pizza (2019): Vanished due to competition from brands like Debonairs and Domino's.
• Domino's Pizza (2020): Operated by Taste Holdings, this iteration of the franchise exited SA due to high losses.
• Subway (2020): The sandwich chain exited, citing a lack of market differentiation and higher prices.
• Dunkin' Donuts & Baskin-Robbins (2019): Closed by Grand Parade Investments due to unsustainable operating costs.
• Wakaberry (2017/2024): The frozen yogurt chain, owned by Famous Brands, closed its last stores. 

Other Notable Closures

• Comair (2022): Operator of Kulula.com and British Airways, which affected local travel retail.
• Greyhound (2021): Popular long-distance bus service ceased operations (later acquired, but experienced a significant shutdown).

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Conclusion

The importance of adaptability, understanding local tastes, and strategic operations in a competitive market cannot be underestimated. It may be prudent to enlist the help of a Product Life Cycle Analyst to help your company create strategies to sustain the longevity of a product and adapt to market conditions.

(This was Part 2 in the series: The Cycles Present in Any Business.)