An Australian living in Madrid has discovered what he calls a Tim Tam “counterfeit” at the Spanish supermarket chain Mercadona. Musician and TikToker @coreyyy.exe shared a video reviewing the product, named Choco, which he claims is a blatant rip-off of the iconic Australian biscuit.
The influencer compared the Choco biscuits, priced at €1.70 ($2.80) for an eight-pack, with genuine Tim Tams sold at a nearby store for €3.60 ($5.92) for a nine-pack. He noted that the Choco packet looked like it had been sitting on a shelf for years, but after tasting both, he described the Spanish version as “edible” and approved of it, saying “they’re doing a better job than anyone else (at stealing) so we’ll let ‘em have it.”
However, he praised Tim Tams for their creamier nougat and unbeatable texture. The video sparked comments from other Australians abroad who were unaware that Tim Tams are available in Spain, with some expressing regret for having family members ship them over. One commenter questioned whether Tim Tams themselves are a copy, pointing out that the UK’s Penguin biscuit predates them. @coreyyy.exe responded, “Penguin walked so Tim Tams could go to Mars.”
Tim Tams were launched by Arnott’s in 1963, reportedly inspired by the British Penguin but with more chocolate, lighter biscuits, and chocolate-flavoured cream filling. The name was chosen by Ross Arnott after a winning horse at the 1958 Kentucky Derby.
