5p very well spent (Trident Fresh Cool Lemon Flavour)

Member Name: iamasadlittleboy

Product:	Trident Fresh Cool Lemon Flavour
Date:	03/08/09 (43 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Taste that lasts ages, Sugar free, Cheap

Disadvantages: The gum is a little lower quality

It's funny how a brand can be brought up to almost a premium level almost over night on release, and, almost as swiftly it can be a bargain bucket product. It was only a few years ago that the Trident Chewing gum had been retailing at around 60p for a 9 tab packet, almost from release the product had been thought of by it's producers as the top dog in a market run almost solely by Wrigley. Now however the gum regularly retails for 40p (still more than most on the market) though with some shopping around (in B & M) it's possible to buy for wonderfully value price of 5 p in the lemon flavour for 9 tabs.

Created by the wonderful minds at Cadbury Trebor Basset the gum was given a hard sugar free coating with a liquid based centre of whatever the flavour was (in this case lemon). This was immediately a successful gimmick differing it's self from the market leaders and given Cadbury's strong backing the gum rocketed in sales and became the fad of the times. The gum coming in a coloured sleeve (this one in particular is yellow) with a 9 tab blister pack inside, they were a more intelligent looking gum than the normal ones.

So onto the actual gum, the first problem was getting it out of the pack, which seemed tougher than usual, though when finally out it looked like other "tab" chewing gums. In the mouth the shell is easily broken and the liquid quickly allows the lemon to hit your mouth as you chew the liquid and the gum into one wonderfully tasting clump of lemon and mint. The taste of lemon is strong enough but yet not over powering and makes a great "first taste" for the gum, before fading (after surprisingly long) into the "default" gum mint taste. The gum it's self feels rather like a kids gum in your mouth (the penny bubbly gums) as opposed to a top class premium gum like most of Wrigley's gums do which makes it in turn feel cheaper than it's major rival.

After a while the lemon of the liquid gives away and the sweetness goes, but at the same time the mint taste kicks in giving the gum a surprisingly longer lasting taste than you'd have expected, a rather clever idea that prolongs not only the single pieces but the packet as a whole.

By now rather amused that a whimsical purchase for such a cheap price had managed to turn into one of the best 5p's spent in a long time, it didn't take long to realise that the gum could well be about to go back up in price to 30p or 40p a pack. Stocking up is going to be needed, as this could be incredibly clever penetration pricing by Cadburys, or it could be that B & M are selling it as a loss leader a the product is still full price elsewhere. At the price it's easy to see how some people could become "chewers" after starting as it's a delightful product that's dirty cheap.

Of course despite really liking it, it's not the greatest gum of all time, the mint isn't the freshest, the gum it's self is rather low quality and the packaging would likely be the reason for the large RRP. However as much as it doesn't seem like a premier gum, the flavours together lasted well towards and hour, highly amazing when you consider the price.

Nutritional information (per 100g... which is odd as we never get told how much is in a single pack)
175 calories
1.5g protein
68.3g Carbohydrates (all of which are polyols no sugar)
0.3g fat (0.1g saturates)
0g fibre
Trace Sodium

Though why does gum have any of this? Are Cadbury's telling us to eat it?

As can be seen the gum contains no sugar, though this means it does contain those ingredients some are wary of such as Aspartame, Acesulfame K as sweetners. The gum is also not suitable for vegetarians (it contains Gelatine) and it also contains a course of Phenylalanine.
More worrying yet however is the inclusion of 6 E numbers (161b, 171, 422, 466, 903, 1518-for those wanting to know) which may not be what your wanting to give to your kids.

Additionally the packaging states it contains "A wet lemony smack in the mouth" and that the ingredients sound "bonkers". It also warns that there may be traces of nuts and sesame seeds.

Final warning: Excessive consumption of gum will make you and toilet paper become good friends, so please don't forget that it can have a laxative effect...and if you're going to abuse it, for the sake of those you live with, stock up on toilet roll.

Summary: The greatest 5p I've ever spent