Quick facts
| Founded | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Country | Italy (Alba, Piedmont) |
| Made by | Ferrero Group (family-owned) |
| Dietary status | Vegetarian-suitable, approximately 1.9 calories per mint |
About Tic Tac
Tic Tac is the Italian mint brand launched by Ferrero in 1969. Originally called "Refreshing Mints", the brand was renamed Tic Tac in 1970 after the distinctive clicking sound made by the hinged plastic pack opening and closing. Each mint takes 24 hours to produce and is built from 100 layers of flavour around a gentle heart. The brand is now sold in over 100 countries and is one of Ferrero's most-distributed products alongside Nutella, Kinder and Ferrero Rocher.
The Tic Tac range we stock
Five flavours in 18g hinged-pack format. Each pack contains the classic pellet-shaped mints.
| Flavour | Profile |
|---|---|
| Fresh Mint | The original Tic Tac. Mint essential oil with a vanilla finish. Clean, crisp, recognisable |
| Cherry Cola | Sweet cherry-cola flavour profile. Less of a mint, more of a fruit-and-cola novelty format |
| Berry Bliss | Mixed berry flavour profile including strawberry, blackcurrant and raspberry notes |
| Lime Orange | Two-flavour pack mixing lime and orange pellets in a single hinged box |
| Fruit Adventure | Multi-fruit mix including apple, pineapple, peach, watermelon and lemon |
Ingredients and allergens
Tic Tac is made from sugar, maltodextrin, thickener (gum arabic), natural and artificial flavourings, glazing agent (carnauba wax) and colours. The recipe contains no obvious animal-derived ingredients and is generally considered vegetarian-suitable. Each mint contains approximately 1.9 calories. The brand is not formally vegan certified, not gluten-free certified, and not halal certified. Always check the back of the specific pack for the most accurate allergen and ingredient information.
Who Tic Tac is for
Everyday breath freshening: the Fresh Mint variant has been the global default for portable breath fresheners since 1969. The hinged pack format is built for one mint at a time on the go.
Low-calorie sweet buyers: at around 1.9 calories per mint, Tic Tac is one of the lowest-calorie sweet formats on the market. The brand has marketed this credential for decades.
Novelty-flavour fans: the Cherry Cola, Berry Bliss and Fruit Adventure variants take Tic Tac well beyond the classic mint format into proper novelty fruit-candy territory.
Pocket-friendly snackers: the hinged plastic pack is built to slot into a pocket or handbag without crushing, which makes Tic Tac one of the most-carried sweet formats worldwide.
Buy Tic Tac online in the UK
Build your basket from across the Tic Tac range and our wider sweet selection to qualify for free UK delivery over £20. Tic Tac pairs well as a pocket-format alternative to our other novelty formats like the Chupa Chups Melody Pops. Order before our daily cut-off for same-day dispatch.
Tic Tac: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in one Tic Tac?
Most Tic Tac flavours contain approximately 1.9 calories per mint, which the brand has marketed as a key selling point since launch. A full 18g pack typically contains around 60 to 65 mints, putting the whole-pack calorie count at roughly 120 calories. The exact calorie content varies by flavour and can be checked on the back of the specific pack.
Are Tic Tacs vegetarian or vegan?
Tic Tacs are generally considered vegetarian-suitable. The recipe contains sugar, flavourings, gum arabic and carnauba wax (a plant-based glazing agent), with no obvious animal-derived ingredients. The brand is not formally vegan certified, however, and recipes can vary slightly by region, so always check the back of the specific pack if dietary status is important.
Why are they called Tic Tac?
Tic Tac is named after the distinctive clicking sound made by the hinged plastic pack opening and closing. Ferrero originally launched the product in 1969 under the name "Refreshing Mints", but renamed it to Tic Tac in 1970 to make the brand more memorable. The pack itself is built around a "living hinge" design that lets you dispense one mint at a time.
Who makes Tic Tac?
Tic Tac is made by the Ferrero Group, the Italian family-owned confectionery company based in Alba, Piedmont. Ferrero was founded by Pietro Ferrero in 1946 and is now one of the world's largest confectionery companies with over 35 brands sold in more than 170 countries, including Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher and Tic Tac.