The claim:Flamin’ Hot Cheetos will be discontinued in 2022
Flamin' Hot Cheetos lovers can keep calm and openanother bag– Frito-Lay is not discontinuing the snack, despite a popular rumor on social media.
An image widely shared on Facebook shows a blue sky, two doves and a bag of the spicy chips. Text on the image reads "RIP Flaming Hots 1991-2021."
"There will be NO more Hot Cheetos made in 2022…until further notice," reads the caption of a Dec. 13 Facebook post. "More than likely they’ll be DISCONTINUED FOREVER."
The post accumulated more than 11,000 sharesin a week. One commenter tagged anotherFacebook user and wrote "let's stock up."
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But that won't be necessary because Frito-Lay is not discontinuingthese chips.
A spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement that there are no plans to discontinue Flamin' Hot Cheetosnext year. Other independent fact-checking organizationshave debunked the claim.
The rumormay stem from a misinterpretation ofan article published by the U.S. edition of The Sun, a British tabloid.
The newspaper wrote Dec. 13 that, based on anecdotes from social media users,Flamin' Hot Cheetosappeared to be in a shortage. The U.S. Sunnoted Frito-Lay had not commented on the speculation, but rumors of the product being discontinued began to spread online anyway.
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As of Dec. 28, the company had not made any such announcement inany of its press releases.
In April 2020, Frito-Lay tweeted that production of the Cheetos Crunchy XXTRA Flamin' Hot was halted temporarily. But that product andCheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hotwere both available on the company's website as of Dec. 28.
USA TODAY reached out to the Facebookuser who shared the post for comment.
Our rating: False
Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim thatFlamin’ Hot Cheetos will be discontinued in 2022. Frito-Lay denied the rumor, and USA TODAY could find no other evidence to substantiate it.
Our fact-check sources:
- The U.S. Sun, Dec. 13, Are Flamin’ Hot Cheetos being discontinued?
- Frito-Lay, April 21, 2020, Tweet
- Check Your Fact, Dec. 20,FACT CHECK: DOES FRITO-LAY PLAN TO CEASE PRODUCTION OF FLAMIN’ HOT CHEETOS IN 2022?
- Frito-Lay spokesperson, Dec. 21-22, Emailed statements to USA TODAY
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