KitKat Blue

A few years ago everybody said that the blue KitKat wrapper was only used during the second world war. So everybody wanted a blue KitKat wrapper to stick over their modern KitKat. This way they had the right material for their impression and display. You saw them in shop window displays in museums, displays about the blitz. Re-enactors carried them on events as if they were back in 1942-43. And so on…

As with all the things I make, I do little to lots of research. Search the internet, read lots of stories and pages, look in old books and magazines. Sometimes I am busy for hours looking for examples, clues and the right info. Just the same with the Blue KitKat wrapper. Is it true that the blue wrapper was only wartime? Looking at the Neslé’s website about the history of KitKat I find following information:

“This product was developed as a four-finger wafer crisp, initially launched in London and the South East in September 1935 as ‘Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp’ and re-named two years later as KitKat Chocolate Crisp. It became KitKat after the Second World War.
Within two years of launch, KitKat was established as Rowntree’s leading product, a position that it has maintained ever since. During the war, KitKat was portrayed as a valuable wartime food and advertising described the brand as “What active people need”.

For most of its life, KitKat has appeared in a red and white wrapper. It did, however, change to a blue wrapper in 1945, when it was produced with a plain chocolate covering due to shortages of milk after the war. This blue livery was withdrawn in 1947 when the standard milk chocolate KitKat was reintroduced.”

So here stands literaly that the blue wrapper came in 1945, after the war. But on an other website about KitKat I found following:

“One of the UK’s oldest and most Iconic brands, KitKat, celebrates its 75th Anniversary. Launched in 1935 in York, under the brand name “Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp” the name changed to KitKat in 1937.
KitKat has seen many changes throughout its evolution – a temporary move to blue wrapping when the receipe had to change during rationing in the 1944 until 1947.”

So here they speak about 1944. As you can see it on the picture above. So I assume that the blue wrapper came on the end of 1944, beginning 1945? How come I find on an other website following?;

“1942: KIT KAT Goes Blue”

In 1942 Rowntree’s had to alther the recipe of KIT KAT Chocolate Criso due to shortages of fresh milk. In order not to affect customer loyalty, the company produced a KIT KAT in a distictive blue wrapper to avoid confusion. The oval logo was removed along with the ‘Chocolate Crisp’ discriptor and KIT KAT was written in bold type. The explanation on the packaging and in their advertisements read “No More Chocolate Crisp Till After The War”.

So now it’s 1942… Anyway, I find it most interesting to find out when the blue wrapper was introduced and used. When I look closer to the different pictures, I see a price on the wrappers. For the red wrapper it is 2d, the presumed 1942 blue label 2 1/2d and the blue wrapper, everybody uses and which you can buy in those sets of the ‘Memorabilia Pack Company’, it’s 3d.

So to be correct on events and with your displays, you have to know what period your impression is in.
Maybe we can say following, based on the information above:

1940-41 – Red wrapper 2d,
1942-43 – Blue wrapper 2 1/2d,
1944-45 – Blue wrapper 3d.
Maybe you know the answer to this…