Chocolate biscuit enthusiasts have been left stunned upon discovering that they've been munching on a classic snack the wrong way. The beloved McVitie's chocolate digestives, which have sat on shelves for a century, might have had consumers eating them in not quite the intended manner. In a surprising revelation from McVitie's own general manager Anthony Coulson, it appears we may have been indulging in these famous biscuits upside down all along. He enlightened the BBC with his insight into the widespread biscuit blunder. These delicious treats have been a staple at McVitie's for 100 years, and yet only now has Mr Coulson highlighted to confectionery aficionados that the correct way of enjoying chocolate digestives is chocolate side down.

Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester, Mr Coulson unveiled: "One of the very first things I learnt when I got to join McVitie's was chocolate side down to eat the digestive. It's the world's most incredible debate, whether you have the chocolate on the top or the chocolate on the bottom." Even he confessed to previously having consumed it the opposite way. While ultimately conceding it's a matter of preference, he outlined why one might opt for the chocolate-down approach, reports the Mirror.

It turns out that turning the chocolate digestive upside down could enhance the eating experience. As the chocolate warms and begins to melt, the flavour intensifies, making the argument for this method compelling, as per Mr Coulston's explanation that it "just makes sense".

So, has Britain been snacking on chocolate digestives upside-down for a century?

It seems plenty have already clocked onto the best way to enjoy the quintessentially British snack. The biscuit debate took TikTok by storm when 'FoodWithASB' questioned his legions of followers on their method of eating the classic chocolate digestive.

A legion of commenters admitted they've long been chomping on the biscuits with the chocolatey side down.

One shared their insight: "I always knew it was on the bottom, I thought it was obvious."

Kieran West confided: "I used to always say this but everyone with disagree."

Others joined in the epiphany, as a fellow TikToker noted: "This is obvious - the chocolate on the tongue gives more taste."

while one more agreed, saying "well if you eat it with the chocolate on the bottom the chocolate touches your taste buds first".

Yet some TikTok users raised practical concerns, with Hunter pointing out "but it comes out the packet chocolate side out". Bluestreak also expressed doubts, commenting: "But you'd get melted chocolate on your hands."

Contrary to popular belief that the creamy chocolate layers grace the top of a digestive, McVities famously revealed that during manufacturing, the biscuit's underside takes a dip in a 'chocolate reservoir', effectively dressing the base rather than the top with its signature chocolate coating.

A staggering 80 million packets of digestive biscuits are produced annually at the Manchester-based McVities factory, making it a firm favourite among Brits. The McVities factory has been in operation since 1917, and the chocolate digestive made its debut in 1925, following on from the original plain digestive biscuit which was first manufactured in 1892.