Skittles
A globally marketed brand of multicolored, fruit-flavored, lentil-shaped sugar candies.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Skittles is a confectionery brand known for small, brightly colored, fruit-flavored candies with hard sugar shells and a lowercase “S” printed on each piece. The brand is associated with a rainbow visual identity and the long-running “Taste the Rainbow” platform. Skittles are produced and marketed within Mars’s confectionery organization, Mars Wrigley, and are sold across numerous international markets in a range of flavor and format variations. The candy was introduced in 1971 by Jack Candies, a British distributor for Mars. The early product was developed as a fruit-flavored sugar confectionery with a distinctive lentil-like shape. Its name is derived from the traditional game of skittles, whose playing pieces were considered visually similar to the sweets. A 1974 television advertisement carried the Galaxy company logo and was copyrighted by Jack Candies Ltd.; Mars also received a United States trademark for the Skittles name in 1974. Distribution expanded substantially in the United States by 1979, and domestic U.S. production began in 1982. Skittles became one of Mars’s most recognizable candy brands through its use of strong color coding, flavor variety, playful packaging, and unusual advertising. The “Taste the Rainbow” concept was created by the New York agency D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles and developed into a flexible platform that could support television, digital, social-media, experiential, and event-based campaigns. The brand has often favored deliberately eccentric or unconventional creative work rather than conventional product demonstrations. Examples include an experimental 2009 website that redirected visitors toward social platforms, a 2018 Super Bowl commercial designed to be seen by only one person, and a one-night Broadway-style production used as a 2019 Super Bowl campaign. The product portfolio has expanded beyond the original fruit assortment. It has included sour, tropical, wild berry, smoothie, orchard, dark-fruit, limited-edition lime, and other flavor collections. Regional recipes and flavor lineups vary. In the United States and Canada, the substitution of green apple for lime in the standard assortment in 2013 prompted consumer criticism and later contributed to a series of limited lime-focused releases. The original lime flavor subsequently returned to the standard U.S. and Canadian assortment. Skittles Gummies were introduced in 2022, adding a soft-textured format, while Skittles POP'd, a freeze-dried version, was released in 2024 in Original and Sour varieties. The brand has also made formulation and social-positioning decisions that have generated public attention. In 2009, production ceased using animal-derived gelatin, making the candies suitable for vegetarians and vegans depending on local ingredients and labeling. During Pride campaigns, the brand temporarily removed its usual multicolored appearance, first using white candies in some markets and later gray candies in the United States. The “Only one rainbow matters during PRIDE” concept was intended to direct attention to LGBTQ+ Pride and has been paired in some markets with charitable support, although the monochrome presentation also generated criticism and confusion. Skittles became part of political and cultural discussions after the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin, who was reported to have been carrying Skittles and an Arizona fruit drink. Mars issued a statement of condolence, but some commentators considered the response insufficiently forceful. In 2016, the brand was again invoked in an immigration-related image shared by Donald Trump Jr.; Mars’s restrained response was widely discussed as an example of a brand addressing political symbolism without endorsing the analogy. The brand has faced regulatory and legal scrutiny over food additives. A proposed California class-action lawsuit filed in 2022 alleged that the continued use of titanium dioxide made the product unsafe; the case was voluntarily dismissed without prejudi…
History
Skittles originated in the United Kingdom and were introduced in 1971 by Jack Candies, a British distributor for Mars. The product was designed as a small, lentil-shaped fruit candy with a hard sugar shell. Its name refers to the traditional game of skittles, whose pins were thought to resemble the confectionery’s shape. An early television advertisement from 1974 displayed the Galaxy company logo and was copyrighted by Jack Candies Ltd. Mars received a U.S. trademark for the Skittles name in the same year. The brand expanded into the United States during the 1970s. Skittles were widely distributed there by 1979, and U.S. production began in 1982. The basic product architecture remained consistent: a flavored center surrounded by a colored sugar shell, with a lowercase “S” printed on the surface. The candies were positioned as a colorful alternative within the sugar-confectionery category, with multiple fruit flavors available in a single pack. Skittles’s distinctive marketing identity developed around its rainbow of colors and flavors. The “Taste the Rainbow” theme was created by the New York advertising agency D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles. Over time, the slogan became a durable brand platform rather than a single advertising line, supporting surreal humor, unusual characters, interactive media, and event-based campaigns. Skittles became particularly associated with experimental digital marketing. Its 2009 website campaign reduced the brand’s own site to an interface linking users to external social-media destinations, a move that was widely discussed as an early example of a major brand reorganizing its web presence around social networks. The product range broadened through flavor collections such as Tropical, Wild Berry, Smoothie, Sour, Darkside, Orchards, and other limited editions. A notable North American flavor change occurred in 2013, when green apple replaced lime in the regular U.S. and Canadian assortment. Consumers objected to the loss of lime, and the brand subsequently used limited releases to revisit the flavor. Lime appeared in Darkside packs, Long Lost Lime releases, and All Lime packs before being restored to the standard assortment in 2021. These episodes showed how individual flavors could acquire strong consumer loyalty and become part of the brand’s public identity. Skittles also changed its formulation and format over time. In 2009, the brand stopped using animal-derived gelatin, making the candies suitable for vegetarian and vegan consumers in the relevant markets, although formulations and labeling must still be assessed locally. In 2022, Skittles Gummies extended the brand into soft candy. In 2024, Skittles POP'd introduced a freeze-dried version in Original and Sour varieties, using texture as a product-development platform. The brand’s social and cultural visibility increased during several politically sensitive episodes. Following Trayvon Martin’s death in 2012, Skittles became a symbol at protests because Martin was reported to have been carrying the candy. Mars expressed condolences, though some commentators criticized the statement as too limited. In 2016, Skittles was used in an immigration-related image shared by Donald Trump Jr. Mars responded without endorsing the comparison, and public-relations observers treated the response as an example of cautious corporate communication. Pride marketing became another significant part of the brand’s history. In 2016, selected markets received white Skittles and altered packaging that explained the decision to give the rainbow to Pride. The campaign was repeated in subsequent years and was connected in some markets to LGBTQ+ charitable causes. In the United States in 2020, the candies became gray rather than white, while the United Kingdom continued using white in its edition. The concept attracted favorable attention for recognizing Pride but also criticism from people who felt that removing the rainbow could obscure the diversity represented by the LGBTQ+ community. Skittles’s advertising strategy has frequently emphasized cultural conversation and scarcity over conventional product claims. In 2018, the brand created a Super Bowl commercial intended for a single viewer. The following year it presented Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical as a one-night production in New York. These campaigns reinforced the brand’s reputation for self-aware, theatrical, and unconventional communications. The brand has also encountered ingredient and regulatory controversy. In 2022, a proposed California class-action lawsuit challenged the use of titanium dioxide in Skittles; the case was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice. In 2023, California legislation concerning several food additives initially included titanium dioxide, although that ingredient was removed before the bill was voted on. The episode placed Skittles within a broader public debate about food coloring, ingredient regulation, and differences between U.S. and European food standards. Skittles is now marketed internationally as part of Mars Wrigley, the confectionery division of Mars, Incorporated. Its portfolio continues to combine a stable core product with rotating flavor collections, sour and gummy formats, limited editions, and new processing techniques. The brand’s commercial identity rests on the interaction of color, fruit flavor, playful packaging, cultural participation, and highly distinctive advertising.
- 2024
Skittles POP'd launches
[1]Skittles introduces freeze-dried Original and Sour products.
- 2022
Skittles Gummies launch
[1]The brand expands into a gummy format.
- 2021
Lime returns to the standard assortment
[1]Skittles announces the return of the original lime flavor in the U.S. and Canadian standard product.
- 2013
Green apple replaces lime in North America
[1]The regular U.S. and Canadian assortment changes its green flavor from lime to green apple.
- 2009
Gelatin is removed
[1]The brand stops using animal-derived gelatin in production.
- 2008
Mars Wrigley takes control of the brand
[1]Mars’s Wrigley division acquires the Skittles company.
- 1982
U.S. production begins
[1]Production of Skittles begins in the United States.
- 1979
U.S. distribution expands
[1]Skittles become widely distributed in the United States.
- 1974
U.S. trademark is granted
[1]Mars receives a United States trademark for the Skittles name; an early television advertisement also dates from this period.
- 1971
Skittles are introduced
[1]Jack Candies, a British distributor for Mars, introduces Skittles in the United Kingdom.
Products and positioning
Playful, colorful, flavor-led confectionery with a strong rainbow identity and unconventional, culturally aware marketing.
Fruit-flavored sugar candy · 1971
Original Skittles
The core Skittles product consists of multicolored, fruit-flavored candies with hard sugar shells, flavored centers, and a lowercase “S” printed on each piece. The assortment is built around the brand’s rainbow presentation and generally combines several fruit flavors in one package. Recipes and available flavors can vary by market.
Sour confectionery
Sour Skittles
Sour Skittles adapt the standard multicolored candy format with an acidic, sour coating or flavor profile. They are one of the brand’s major recurring varieties and have also been used in later product extensions, including the Sour version of Skittles POP'd.
Fruit-flavored assortment
Tropical Skittles
Tropical Skittles use an assortment organized around tropical fruit flavor concepts rather than the standard fruit lineup. The collection illustrates the brand’s practice of using themed flavor packs to create distinct occasions and limited or regional product stories.
Berry-flavored assortment
Wild Berry Skittles
Wild Berry Skittles provide a berry-focused alternative to the original fruit assortment. Like other Skittles collections, the product retains the colored shell, compact shape, and printed “S” while changing the flavor architecture.
Fruit-flavored assortment
Darkside Skittles
Darkside is a darker-fruit-themed collection that served as one home for the lime flavor after lime was removed from the standard U.S. and Canadian assortment. The collection was discontinued, then revived in 2019.
Gummy candy · 2022
Skittles Gummies
Released in 2022, Skittles Gummies translate the brand’s recognizable colors and flavor variety into a soft, chewy format. The product broadens Skittles beyond its traditional hard-shell candy while retaining the familiar flavor-led identity.
Freeze-dried candy · 2024
Skittles POP'd
Skittles POP'd is a freeze-dried interpretation of the brand’s candy, released in October 2024 in Original and Sour varieties. The process changes the texture and eating experience while preserving the recognizable Skittles flavor and color concept.
Controversies
2026
Wrigley sues Terphogz over Skittles marks
Wrigley sued Terphogz, the maker of THC-infused candy Zkittlez, alleging trademark infringement involving Wrigley's "Taste the Rainbow" slogan and the Skittles "S" logo. The article also reports related claims, including false designation of origin, unfair competition, trademark dilution and cybersquatting. It does not report a court determination.
2022
Titanium dioxide class-action lawsuit
A proposed California class-action lawsuit challenged the continued use of titanium dioxide as a coloring agent in Skittles. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice in November 2022.
2021
Mars Wrigley files lawsuits over alleged cannabis-product trademark infringement
Mars Wrigley filed lawsuits in the United States and Canada alleging that sellers of cannabis products used its candy brands and trademarks without authorization. The suits seek injunctions, and one seeks $2 million for each counterfeit trademark tied to the California case.
2016
Criticism of the colorless Pride campaign
The white Pride edition prompted criticism from people who argued that eliminating the rainbow could fail to acknowledge the diversity associated with LGBTQ+ communities. The campaign was also defended as an effort to give the rainbow visual symbol to Pride.
2012
Skittles becomes a symbol in the Trayvon Martin protests
Because Trayvon Martin was reported to have been carrying Skittles when he was killed, the candy became a symbol used at rallies and in public discussion. Mars issued condolences, but some commentators criticized the statement as too subdued.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Only one rainbow matters during PRIDE
United States United Kingdom
The U.S. Pride edition used gray candies, while the United Kingdom continued using white candies. The campaign maintained the idea that Skittles should temporarily surrender its rainbow to Pride.
Outcome. The initiative continued the brand’s Pride association and charitable positioning while remaining subject to debate about the symbolism of removing the rainbow.
- 2019Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical
United States
The brand staged a one-time Broadway-style musical at The Town Hall in New York City as its pre-Super Bowl advertising campaign.
Outcome. The event reinforced Skittles’s reputation for theatrical, self-aware, and unconventional advertising.
- 2018Skittles Super Bowl commercial for one person
United States
Skittles created a Super Bowl commercial intended to be viewed by only one person, turning extreme exclusivity into the central media idea.
Outcome. The unusual format generated substantial discussion without relying on a conventional mass-broadcast advertisement.
- 2016Colorless Pride Skittles
United Kingdom Selected international markets
The brand temporarily produced white Skittles and modified packaging for Pride, explaining that the rainbow should be reserved as the centerpiece of LGBTQ+ Pride. Some editions supported LGBTQ+ charities.
Outcome. The campaign received positive attention but also criticism and confusion over whether removing the rainbow weakened the message of diversity.
- 2009Skittles social-media website
International
Skittles redesigned its official website as a small overlay directing visitors to the brand’s YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other social destinations. The campaign made the brand’s social presence the primary online experience.
Outcome. The approach became a widely discussed example of unconventional social-media marketing.
Brand decisions
2024
Launch of Skittles POP'dProduct launchBackground
The brand pursued a new texture and consumption experience through freeze-drying.
Action taken
Skittles POP'd launched in Original and Sour varieties.
Aftermath
The product added freeze-dried candy to Skittles’s established flavor and color platform.
2022
Launch of Skittles GummiesProduct launchBackground
Mars Wrigley extended the Skittles brand into a soft-textured confectionery format.
Action taken
Skittles Gummies were introduced.
Aftermath
The launch broadened the brand’s format portfolio beyond hard-shell candies.
2016
Temporary removal of the rainbow for PrideOtherBackground
The brand sought to support Pride while avoiding competition between its own rainbow identity and the LGBTQ+ Pride rainbow.
Action taken
Skittles released white candies and altered packaging in selected markets, later using gray candies in the United States in 2020.
Aftermath
The campaign was repeated in some markets and associated with charitable support, while also attracting criticism over its symbolism.
2013
Green apple replaces limeGeneration changeBackground
Skittles changed the green flavor in its regular U.S. and Canadian assortment.
Action taken
Green apple replaced lime in the standard product.
Aftermath
Consumer backlash led to later lime-focused limited editions and eventually the return of lime to the standard assortment.
2009
Removal of animal-derived gelatinStrategyBackground
The brand reassessed its candy formulation and the consumer groups able to eat the product.
Action taken
Skittles production stopped using animal-derived gelatin.
Aftermath
The change made the candies suitable for vegetarian and vegan consumers in relevant markets, subject to local ingredients and labeling.
Recent events
Reported
Wrigley sues Terphogz over Skittles marks[2]
Wrigley sued Terphogz, maker of THC-infused candy Zkittlez, alleging trademark infringement involving Wrigley's “Taste the Rainbow” slogan and Skittles “S” logo. The article also reports related claims including false designation of origin, unfair competition, trademark dilution and cybersquatting; it does not report a court determination.
Reported
Mars Wrigley files lawsuits over alleged cannabis-product trademark infringement[3]
Mars Wrigley filed lawsuits in the United States and Canada alleging that sellers of cannabis products used its candy brands and trademarks without authorization. The suits seek injunctions, and one seeks $2 million for each counterfeit trademark tied to the California case.
Sources3 sources
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