Internet Freaks Out After McVitie’s Says Chocolate Is on the Bottom of Their Biscuits

We live in tumultuous times but the joy of sitting down with a cup of tea and a biscuit has not yet been taken from us. The anticipatory rustle of the packet, the glorious dunk, the unrivalled satisfaction of achieving that still-slightly-crunchy, not-too-soggy first bite—we can still enjoy these small pleasures, at least.

Or can we? Biscuit manufacturer McVitie's may have just ruined your tea break by declaring that everything we thought we knew about chocolate digestives, Hobnobs, and Jaffa Cakes is wrong.

The company sparked outrage on social media this week after announcing that chocolate covers the bottom of their biscuits, not the top. Yes, despite the fact that no one would put a biscuit on a plate chocolate-side-down.

The controversy came to light after Facebook user Keely Marie Perryman posted a picture of a chocolate Hobnob to the McVitie's page with the question: "Please can you help us solve a debate in work today.. which is the top of this yummy mcvites chocolate hobnob?? The chocolatey side or the nobby side?? [sic]" McVitie's social media team replied with the damning comment: "Hi, our Hobnobs goes through a reservoir of chocolate, so it's on the bottom! Thanks, McVitie's."

The Internet reacted appropriately.

In response to McVitie's comment, Twitter user called James said, "Hello @McVities, April fools was last week" while Jamie McKelvie argued, "Which way do you put a chocolate digestive down on the table? Chocolate face down? No. Ergo the chocolate is the top. *gavel*"

But according to McVitie's, the biscuits have chocolate bottoms because of the way they're produced. Speaking to Metro, the company's marketing director Kerry Owens said: "When we make our McVitie's chocolate biscuits—whether that be Chocolate Hobnobs, Chocolate Digestives, or even Jaffa Cakes—they go through a reservoir of chocolate on the production line. This essentially 'enrobes' the bottom in chocolate—so we can confirm that the chocolate is officially on the bottom of the biscuits."

However, it could all be a case of #fakenews.

On social media, many have pointed out that adverts for the biscuits always show the chocolate side facing up. Twitter user Toby Earle noted, "*Biscuit Take* McVitie's have had a shocker. All their promotional material presents the chocolate as a topping & the biscuit's obverse." and Adam Smith writes, "McVitie's have confirmed that artificial controversy is good for capitalism."

MUNCHIES reached out to McVitie's for a comment but did not receive a response at the time of publishing.

That's just the way the Hobnob crumbles.