Cadbury made the call to stop making chocolate fish last year, and stock of the 20g treat is nearly finished.

One of the most favourite chocolate treats in New Zealand will soon be swiped from shelves - Cadbury has stopped making 20g chocolate fish.

"The decision to end their run was made last year, and stock has been depleting since," a Cadbury spokesperson confirmed in a statement to RNZ on Thursday.

"Unfortunately, they just haven't been as popular with Kiwi consumers over recent years as they had been in the past.

"It became harder to secure shelf-space alongside other bars and snacking innovations in stores and harder for them to find their place on the production runs."

Smaller "sprat" versions would still available in Cadbury Kiwi Favourites boxes, the spokesperson said.

Or if you're prepared to fork out a little extra for your favourite flavoured fish, local confectionary company Queen Anne sells a single, individually wrapped 50g chocolate fish for $3 and boxes of fish bites.

In other classic sweets to be dropped, earlier this year Whittacker's confirmed it was removing Toffee Bars from the lineup.

Back in 2009 Cadbury caused a kerfuffle when it announced it was binning popular Snifters and Tangy Fruits from its Pascall brand lineup.

Reproduced with permission