Celebrity Slim, Exante, and Slim & Save: Why These Meal Replacement Brands Are Disappearing – and What You Can Use Instead

If you're one of the many people who relied on Celebrity Slim, Exante, or Slim & Save to support your weight loss goals, you may have recently found yourself at a loss. Quite literally. All three brands have now ceased production, leaving dieters across the UK wondering what to do next.

Why Have These Brands Vanished?

Though each brand has its own story, the general reasons behind their disappearance appear to be a combination of wider industry challenges:

1. Post-Pandemic Market Shift

The pandemic brought a short-term boom in health and diet products. But as habits stabilised and people returned to more balanced lifestyles, demand for restrictive diet programmes began to decline.

2. Intense Competition

The meal replacement sector has become increasingly saturated, with newer brands using slick marketing, influencer partnerships, and subscription models to draw in a younger demographic.

3. Consumer Mindset Shift

More people are now rejecting “diet culture” in favour of holistic wellness, intuitive eating, and sustainable weight management. Brands that didn’t adapt their messaging or product lines may have been left behind.

4. Economic Pressures

Supply chain costs, ingredient shortages, and inflation have affected many nutrition companies. Some simply couldn’t maintain profitability in the current market.

Still Want Meal Replacements? Current Alternatives to Try

While some of the major legacy names have now gone, there are still several active and well-reviewed options if you're looking for a convenient shake, soup, or bar to help manage your calorie intake:

Huel

Focused on plant-based, complete nutrition, Huel offers shakes, hot meals, and bars. It’s less about fast weight loss and more about sustainable meal replacement and fuelling busy lifestyles. https://uk.huel.com

The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan

Although structured and consultant-led, this plan is still active in the UK and remains a top choice for those who like a tailored programme with personal support. https://www.one2onediet.com

Shake That Weight

Still trading and offering low-calorie products including shakes, meal pots, and snacks. They cater to flexible or strict plans and are especially suited to people who want something straightforward. https://www.shakethatweight.co.uk

✅ Protein Works / Protein World

Both brands offer meal replacement options aimed at weight management and muscle tone. With high-protein shakes and plenty of flavour options, they work well for gym-goers and busy professionals alike. https://www.proteinworld.com

Juice Plus Complete

A more lifestyle-focused programme combining shakes and supplements, Juice Plus is popular in the wellness community and may appeal to those wanting a long-term plan with added nutritional support.

https://www.juiceplus.com

Over the Summer That's Food and Drink will be reaching out to alternatives to Celebrity Slim, Exante and Slim & Save to bring news of their meal replacement products.

If you are working for or with a company providing such products please reach out to us at afj_uk@Yahoo.com. We'd love to hear from you.

100 Years of Fad Diets: The Science, The Stories, and The Speculation

Which (if any?) diet should you choose?

For over a century, fad diets have promised miraculous weight loss and a healthier life, often in record time. 

From the bizarre to the dangerous, and occasionally to the surprisingly effective, these diets reflect our ever-changing relationship with food, body image, and wellness.

Let’s take a journey through the most notable weight-loss fads of the last 100 years, explore the “science” they claimed, and see whether any actually delivered.

🕰️ 1920s–1930s: The Era of Appetite Suppression and Food Combining

The Cigarette Diet

Claimed science: Nicotine suppresses appetite.

Reality: While technically true, smoking carries massive health risks and no reputable health authority endorses this method.

Success stories: Advertised as glamorous, but no safe or healthy legacy.

The Hay Diet

Claimed science: Mixing proteins and carbohydrates disrupts digestion.

Reality: No solid evidence supports the need for food separation. Believed it was based on old scientific knowledge that was proven incorrect. 

Legacy: Still has niche followers today, especially among alternative health circles.

The Hollywood Diet

Claimed science: Grapefruit contains fat-burning enzymes.

Reality: No enzymes in grapefruit directly burn fat. Calorie restriction is the real reason for weight loss.

Success stories: Short-term losses, long-term failures.

1940s–1950s: Crash Diet Culture

Banana and Skimmed Milk Diet

Claimed science: Low-calorie, easy to follow, nutritionally balanced.

Reality: Severely lacking in nutrients.

Success stories: Mostly short-lived due to hunger and boredom.

Cabbage Soup Diet

Claimed science: Negligible calories lead to rapid fat burn.

Reality: Mostly water loss; weight quickly returns after stopping.

Legacy: Still circulates as a “quick fix” pre-event.

1960s–1970s: Extreme Measures and High-Protein Hype

Sleeping Beauty Diet

Claimed science: Sleep through cravings = no eating.

Reality: Dangerous misuse of sedatives; highly irresponsible.

Rumours: Elvis Presley may have tried it.

The Drinking Man’s Diet

Claimed science: Alcohol doesn’t affect ketosis; carbs are the enemy.

Reality: Alcohol provides empty calories and impairs judgement.

Legacy: Proto-Atkins diet with a boozy twist.

Scarsdale Diet

Claimed science: Rigid 14-day programme combining protein and veg.

Reality: Too low in calories, unsustainable, but quick results seen.

Success stories: Short-term success, long-term regain common.

1980s: Liquid Meals and Food Combining Resurfaces

The Beverly Hills Diet

Claimed science: Eat fruit first to trigger enzymes, combine foods properly.

Reality: Pseudoscientific and highly restrictive.

Success stories: Liz Taylor reportedly tried it.

SlimFast

Claimed science: Portion control through liquid replacements.

Reality: Effective for some as part of structured calorie control.

Success stories: Long-term studies show some success when used properly.

Cambridge Diet

Claimed science: VLCD (very-low-calorie diet) triggers rapid weight loss.

Reality: Often effective but must be medically supervised.

Success stories: Many NHS-backed success stories — still used today under medical guidance.

1990s: Low-Carb Mania and Blood Type Hype

Atkins Diet (Resurgence)

Claimed science: Carbs cause fat storage; remove them to burn fat.

Reality: Ketosis works for many but can be hard to maintain.

Success stories: Millions globally lost weight; long-term safety debated.

Zone Diet

Claimed science: Balancing macronutrients prevents inflammation.

Reality: Moderate and healthy for many.

Success stories: Used by celebrities and athletes.

Blood Type Diet

Claimed science: Your blood type determines optimal food digestion.

Reality: No credible evidence supports this.

Legacy: Still popular in wellness circles.

2000s: Clean Eating and Detox Culture

Raw Food Diet

Claimed science: Cooking destroys nutrients and enzymes.

Reality: Cooking can improve nutrient bioavailability in some cases.

Success stories: Some experienced weight loss, but nutrient deficiency is a concern.

South Beach Diet

Claimed science: Avoid bad carbs and fats, focus on low-GI foods.

Reality: Sounder science, encourages balanced nutrition.

Success stories: Popular among middle-aged adults seeking moderate weight loss.

Master Cleanse

Claimed science: Detox the body with a lemon/cayenne/maple drink.

Reality: No scientific basis for “detoxing” in this manner.

Success stories: Beyoncé famously used it for a role — not sustainable.

2010s: Back to the Stone Age – and Beyond

Paleo Diet

Claimed science: Modern farming created health problems; eat like ancestors.

Reality: Removes processed foods but oversimplifies nutritional evolution.

Success stories: Many experienced improved energy and weight loss.

Keto Diet

Claimed science: Fat fuels weight loss when carbs are nearly eliminated.

Reality: Works well for some, but side effects (“keto flu”) are common.

Success stories: Widely documented success; now used for epilepsy treatment too.

Alkaline Diet

Claimed science: Alkalising foods balance body pH and prevent disease.

Reality: The body tightly regulates pH regardless of diet.

Legacy: More pseudoscience than results.

Military Diet

Claimed science: Food combinations trick the body into burning fat.

Reality: Simply a calorie-restricted plan.

Success stories: Rapid (mostly water) weight loss.

2020s: Apps, Meat-Only, and “Science-Backed” Starvation

Carnivore Diet

Claimed science: All plant foods are inflammatory; meat-only heals the body.

Reality: Highly controversial and potentially dangerous long-term.

Success stories: Some report autoimmune relief — unproven in research.

Sirtfood Diet

Claimed science: Sirtuins activate “skinny genes”.

Reality: Based on very early-stage science.

Success stories: Adele’s dramatic weight loss brought this diet fame.

Intermittent Fasting

Claimed science: Eating windows improve metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Reality: Backed by increasing scientific evidence.

Success stories: Widespread and sustainable for many.

Noom & App-Based Dieting

Claimed science: Cognitive behavioural therapy and psychology help build better habits.

Reality: One of the more sustainable modern approaches.

Success stories: Clinical studies show moderate, lasting weight loss.

Key Notes:-

Fad diets may promise quick fixes, but long-term success still comes from sustainable lifestyle changes — balanced nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management. Still, many of these diets sparked important conversations about food and health, even if their claims didn’t hold up to scrutiny.