Aussie TikToker @coreyyy.exe finds Tim Tams rip-off in Spain’s Mercadona supermarket

An Aussie living abroad has stumbled across what he believes is a Tim Tams “counterfeit”, claiming a Spanish supermarket has been “appropriating traditional Australian culture”.

Musician and TikToker @coreyyy.exe lives in Madrid, and after learning of the European nation’s attempt to re-create an Aussie culinary icon, thought he’d review the product to determine if it stacks up.

“Apparently the Mercadona supermarket chain has been making a blatant Tim Tam rip off, and I’m in Madrid so I’m going to check it out for myself,” he told followers in a clip shared online.

The content creator also admitted he felt like “an idiot” after only just learning he was able to buy genuine Tim Tams at his local supermarket.

“This whole time I had no idea you could actually buy Tim Tams in Spain at all. I’m that d***head that overpays in the duty free for Tim Tams. $16 for a few biscuits,” he said.

Arriving at his local Mercadona, the Aussie located the “culprit”, labelled Choco, which retailed for €1.70 ($2.80) for 145g served as an eight-pack.

Mercadona’s website describes the alternative as “Choco cookies with Hacendado cocoa cream filling covered in milk chocolate”.

The influencer then rode a short distance away to a shopping centre that housed a store selling several flavours of Tim Tams — Extra Creamy, Chewy Caramel, and Original — priced at a premium of €3.60 ($5.92) for 163g, or a nine-pack.

For comparison, both Coles and Woolworths sell a 200g packet of 11 biscuits for $6.

Claiming the Choco packet appeared as if it “has been sitting on the shelf of a service station for three years”, the influencer removed the packaging of each product at home to compare the chocolate covered contents of each.

Suggesting they looked similar, he claimed Tim Tams possessed nougat that was “creamier”, and and an “unbeatable” texture while lauding the balance of creaminess and crunchiness.

However, the TikToker’s appraisal of the Spanish variant was not scathing, describing it as “edible”.

“You know what, I approve of the fake... they’re doing a better job than anyone else (at stealing) so we’ll let ‘em have it,” he said.

Aussies in the comments expressed their disbelief at the fact they didn’t need to ask family members to fly Tim Tams to Europe if they were already sold there.

“Can’t believe I just got my mom to fly these over when they were right here. Pringada 😔”, one person commented.

Another user suggested the Spanish manufacturers may be taking notes from the Aussie to improve their product.

“Mercadona product managers seeing they just have to get their nougat to be creamier and the biscuit crunchier,” they wrote.

However, some posed a question no proud Aussie wants to hear.

“What if Tim Tams are the copy? Madrid is older than Australia. Discuss? 🤔” one person said.

“Pardon my ignorance, as have never been to Oz, nor have eaten a Tim Tam... but aren’t they just the same as a Penguin in the UK? Which surely must have been around for getting on for a hundred years, what if Tim Tams are the conterfeit?!?!? (sic) 😂,” another asked.

To which @coreyyy.exe responded: “Penguin walked so Tim Tams could go to Mars.”

Tim Tams were launched in Australia by Arnott’s in 1963, believed to be based on the British Penguin product — but packing more chocolate, lighter biscuits, and chocolate-flavoured cream filling.

They were named by Ross Arnott, who had attended a Kentucky Derby in 1958 and fancied a winning horse by the name of “Tim Tam”.