Lay's decision to can its salt and vinegar chips after weak sales has caused a stir among South African chip lovers, who generally prefer spicier flavours than the rest of the world.

At the end of 2019, Lay's Salt and Vinegar flavoured potato chips were not performing as well from a sales perspective vis--vis the other flavours in our range which, amongst other insights, led us to believe that our consumers liked other flavours better, a spokesperson told Business Insider South Africa.

The business had to take a tough call on whether it was time to give that share of shelf space to an alternative, better-performing flavour which is why we have discontinued the Lay's Salt and Vinegar flavoured chips.

Lay's is the world's biggest chip brand, on sale in 100 countries.

It says that South Africans have a specific preference when it comes to chip flavours.

In South Africa, spicy flavours tend to do well, whereas (broadly speaking) in the rest of the world cheesy flavours tend to fare better, a spokesperson said.

Lay's is owned by Pepsico, which bought South African chips brand Simba twenty years ago.

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