On Oct. 9, 2025, Lays announced one of their biggest rebrands in nearly 100 years. This rebrand aims to redesign all the packaging and make their recipe slightly healthier by eliminating artificial flavors and colors.
Lays rebranded to show more people that they are using authentic ingredients like real potatoes for their chips. This effort by Lays to show a use of more authentic ingredients could potentially impact sales.
Judah Creppy, retail worker and UGA business major, said, “I think this new rebrand, especially with the drawback to cleaner ingredients and more emphasis on using natural ingredients, is going to influence people to go back to Lays, especially if they had quit buying them. More people are being more health-conscious now, especially with the start of the new year, so they are trying to portray themselves as a healthy option to consider in the chip environment.”
The new redesign of the bag gives a nostalgic feeling when looking at it. Nostalgia is a big driving factor around the world right now, with people wanting to go back to how it was before to simpler times.
“I think it has a nostalgic look because of the sunrise on the bag, and the colors are more muted than the old one. The old one was glossier and shinier, and the new bag is more matte looking, making it look old-fashioned in a sense.” – Judah Creppy, senior, Business.
With this rebranding, it will also cause some backlash. Not everyone likes their favorite brands changing and trying new things.
Sydney Gray, film student at Mercer, said, “I came across the rebrand the last time I went grocery shopping, and it made me hesitant to buy the chips because I have bad food anxiety. When brands change their recipes, it can be stressful for me, especially because I am a picky eater and have a sensitive stomach. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was anxious about this change.”
This change can also affect people who have Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. ARFID is an eating disorder caused by sensory sensitivity, and this may have larger impacts similar to the Sierra Mist to Starry rebrand that Pepsi had in 2023.
“I know a lot of people who have ARFID, and they can get anxious around rebrands like that because a big thing for them is they like consistency in their safe foods,” said Gray.
The public might be divided on this matter, but you can’t deny that this rebrand for Lays is one of the biggest rebrands in the past century.
