Supermarkets discussion

[Halwynd]

Perhaps the confec won't go down so far as to not be allowed to be called chocolate any more, but there does seem to be a trend of adding palm oil and removing milk and cocoa from chocolate.

It's a big factor in me having gone off a lot of chocolate as it often feels quite greasy from the oil. I know what their justification is, but I don't particularly like it.

For years I used to buy a tin of Quality Street at Christmas but stopped a few years ago when the chocolate started to taste more like you describe... palm oil, sorbitol, other artificial sweetners and nasties.

Green & Blacks is not bad, but a bit pricey.

 

[jon81uk]

Perhaps the confec won't go down so far as to not be allowed to be called chocolate any more, but there does seem to be a trend of adding palm oil and removing milk and cocoa from chocolate.

It's a big factor in me having gone off a lot of chocolate as it often feels quite greasy from the oil. I know what their justification is, but I don't particularly like it.

Although Dairy Milk and similar have used vegetable fats for at least 50 years in addition to cocoa & milk fats. The main change is the source of the vegetable fat to palm oil. There is of course a limit to how little cocoa butter they can use and still call it milk chocolate, and Europe has never liked the British definition with the higher amount of vegetable fats in "family" milk chocolate.
BBC News called it a victory for British chocolate in 2000 when the EU allowed the up to 5% vegetable fats http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/678141.stm

In this article Mondelez state the amount of vegetable fats hasn't changed, therefore I think it is just that the type of vegetable fat which is the change https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz0n8eygdp7o

 

[styles]

Although Dairy Milk and similar have used vegetable fats for at least 50 years in addition to cocoa & milk fats. The main change is the source of the vegetable fat to palm oil. There is of course a limit to how little cocoa butter they can use and still call it milk chocolate, and Europe has never liked the British definition with the higher amount of vegetable fats in "family" milk chocolate.
BBC News called it a victory for British chocolate in 2000 when the EU allowed the up to 5% vegetable fats http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/678141.stm

In this article Mondelez state the amount of vegetable fats hasn't changed, therefore I think it is just that the type of vegetable fat which is the change https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz0n8eygdp7o

I'm not sure if it's the substitution of other oils for palm oil which makes Cadbury's chocolate feel greasy now, or if I'm just imagining the different texture I think it used to have.

I do generally wish manufacturers would stop adding palm oil to everything though.

 

[londonbridge]

As part of changes to my diet I find myself buying the low/reduced fat/sugar/salt versions of products more frequently….apparently in my local Sainsburys I was the number one buyer of “the light one” version of Rich Tea biscuits…..

 

[styles]

As part of changes to my dieI find myself buying the low/reduced fat/sugar/salt versions of products more frequently….apparently in my local Sainsburys I was the number one buyer of “the light one” version of Rich Tea biscuits…..

I had low sugar/diabetic digestives recently, as they were the only crackers/biscuits we had in for the cheese. They were surprisingly decent, and I'm not normally a big fan of sweeteners.

 

[Halwynd]

I do generally wish manufacturers would stop adding palm oil to everything though.

It's difficult, but I avoid any product containing it as much as I can. As well as spoiling the taste of products, the effect of deforestation and its subsequent effect on wildlife is evil.

The problem with reduced salt and sugar etc. foods is what the manufacturers sometimes use to replace it. I'm afraid I'd much rather have something with sugar now and again (not easy for diabetics, I know) than those where it has been replaced by dreadful artificial sweetners such as sorbitol. I really think these sort of replacements could be a ticking timebomb for health problems in the future.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I do generally wish manufacturers would stop adding palm oil to everything though.

They will only stop when there is a much bigger public outcry and protest against it than the background noise about it that there has been for the past few years.

The problem with reduced salt and sugar etc. foods is what the manufacturers sometimes use to replace it. I'm afraid I'd much rather have something with sugar now and again (not easy for diabetics, I know) than those where it has been replaced by dreadful artificial sweetners such as sorbitol. I really think these sort of replacements could be a ticking timebomb for health problems in the future.

Agreed - and it doesn't taste anywhere near as good either. I once tried the Heinz "reduced" baked beans and found them to taste absolutely foul. I promptly gave away the rest of the tins via the neighbours' WhatsApp group and have made certain to only buy the original version ever since.

 

[urbophile]

Ah, its not just me then. I have found recently that certain chocolates just leave me a bit nauseated. OK I probably have eaten more chocolate than I usually do because it is Christmas but some things are really quite easily turning me off. I thought it was cheaper supermarket own brand chocolate but now the Galaxy in the celebrations tins/tubs are no longer the highlight !.

Of course, I am led to believe, for many years (decades ?) UK chocolate has been rather less chocolate than what our European neighbours are accustomed to !.

As ever, and more so since B****t, we are stuck mid-Atlantic in this as in so many ways. I don't know whether we are more susceptible to American commercial manipulation, or Anglo-Saxon tastebuds are wired differently. I suspect the former, because the proportion of anglo-Saxon blood in the US population must be a lot smaller than here.
I always go for Moser Roth 85% chocolate from Aldi.

 

[jon81uk]

As ever, and more so since B****t, we are stuck mid-Atlantic in this as in so many ways. I don't know whether we are more susceptible to American commercial manipulation, or Anglo-Saxon tastebuds are wired differently. I suspect the former, because the proportion of anglo-Saxon blood in the US population must be a lot smaller than here.
I always go for Moser Roth 85% chocolate from Aldi.

Its not even really "American" commercial manipulation, Mondelez owned Milka, Toblerone and other European brands before they acquired Cadbury. Given Cadbury Dairy Milk has used vegetable fats for 50+ years I expect they would have changed up the types of fats used anyway irrespective of their owner. Cadbury has been a large company for a long time and will always seek to maximise profit and lower costs.

 

[AM9]

I used to like Cadburys Milk in my childhood, (far batter than Galaxy) but it doesn't appeal to my adult tastes. These days, it's Lindt, Hotel Chocolat and Waitrose. There are always bargains to be had on shaped seasonal products, i.e. Lindt, reindeer and teddy bears, (Christmas) and bunnies (Easter). Those manufacturers seem to use the same quality chocolate on their novelty ranges as the normal bars. Hotel Chocolat also have a rush to remove seasonal shaped items at bargain prices. The other thing is to keep chocolate at the right temperature, around 14 to 15C. Wine coolers are just right.

 

[Trackman]

Checked my Asda awards which has been stuck at 20p even after all the Christmas shopping, found out they have put in another £5 in the new year like at Christmas, tbh I don't know why they bother this award.

 

[Peter Sarf]

It's difficult, but I avoid any product containing it as much as I can. As well as spoiling the taste of products, the effect of deforestation and its subsequent effect on wildlife is evil.

The problem with reduced salt and sugar etc. foods is what the manufacturers sometimes use to replace it. I'm afraid I'd much rather have something with sugar now and again (not easy for diabetics, I know) than those where it has been replaced by dreadful artificial sweetners such as sorbitol. I really think these sort of replacements could be a ticking timebomb for health problems in the future.

I would rather go without the sweetners/sugar and salt/salt-substitutes. Get used to the flavours without then being "enhanced".
I remember when my employers staff canteen started using "LoSalt" as a healthy substitute for salt - all the meals became too salty to eat !.

As ever, and more so since B****t, we are stuck mid-Atlantic in this as in so many ways. I don't know whether we are more susceptible to American commercial manipulation, or Anglo-Saxon tastebuds are wired differently. I suspect the former, because the proportion of anglo-Saxon blood in the US population must be a lot smaller than here.
I always go for Moser Roth 85% chocolate from Aldi.

American influence - well since the Americans bought Cadburys I expect the flavour to have been "improved" changed anyway.

 

[Harpo]

American influence - well since the Americans bought Cadburys I expect the flavour to have been "improved" changed anyway.

In the same way that creme eggs were economised changed.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

In the same way that creme eggs were economised changed.

Surely "new improved recipe"?
Or "great new taste".
Neither of which says 'better' but people may read it as changed to their benefit rather than benefitting the profit margin of the company making the product.

Flash Liquid cleaner - now plant based (woohoo, yeah, squeal, scream with excitement) great except it no longer cleans! Yet another product I have used all my life now binned off my shopping list.

 

[Trackman]

In the same way that creme eggs were economised changed.

Only gone smaller in the US, in UK ones are now bigger (by weight) than the original 70s/80s ones.

 

[317 forever]

Like Christmas, they introduce items early - often discounted - to get people to buy things they'll eat long before the time comes, so then go and buy more. There will be promotions at set times, and massive discounts after on any stock left unsold.

It's the same every year. I think the dates for the promotions at Tesco have been published online already for anyone who cares to know when there will be special offers.

At least with the chocolate eggs, they don't go out of date before Easter as with a lot of the stuff sold for Christmas early!

Helped a little bit by having an earlier Easter this year, although next Easter will be even earlier.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Only gone smaller in the US, in UK ones are now bigger (by weight) than the original 70s/80s ones.

They're not smaller, but the chocolate was changed to a cheaper formulation rather than the previous Dairy Milk. I still like them though, might have just scoffed 4...best go for a run I guess

 

[jon0844]

They're not smaller, but the chocolate was changed to a cheaper formulation rather than the previous Dairy Milk. I still like them though, might have just scoffed 4...best go for a run I guess

Run to get more?!

 

[Peter Sarf]

deleted

 

[Baxenden Bank]

They're not smaller, but the chocolate was changed to a cheaper formulation rather than the previous Dairy Milk. I still like them though, might have just scoffed 4...best go for a run I guess

712 calories there. Two hours very brisk walking required. Three hours at 4mph.

 

[Bletchleyite]

712 calories there. Two hours very brisk walking required. Three hours at 4mph.

It is largely a factor of weight, distance and height gain, and I am particularly heavy so burn a lot on foot. Humans can't, without a tool like a bicycle, move fast enough that air resistance becomes significant and thus speed.

The reason runners tend to burn more is simply that they cover more distance in a given unit of time.

 

[Bald Rick]

They're not smaller, but the chocolate was changed to a cheaper formulation rather than the previous Dairy Milk. I still like them though, might have just scoffed 4...best go for a run I guess

Indeed, I’ve not bought one since the recipe changed. Back in my youth, when they were nice, I did once eat 4 creme eggs all at once though, simply because one of my friends had done 3 and I had to beat him. That hurt.

Trying to lead us back to a supermarket discussion through the medium of creme eggs, another thing that stopped me buying them is that the blasted things never scanned at the self checkout. I would have thought that Cadbury’s could have found a way to print the barcode askew so that it presents correctly on the shape of the egg, alternatively that supermarkets would programme their self checkouts with the option to select a creme egg in the same way as you do for a pastry or fruit, for example. If Cadbury’s are watching, I want 1% of all increased sales if you do this!

 

[lookapigeon]

Trying to lead us back to a supermarket discussion through the medium of creme eggs, another thing that stopped me buying them is that the blasted things never scanned at the self checkout. I would have thought that Cadbury’s could have found a way to print the barcode askew so that it presents correctly on the shape of the egg, alternatively that supermarkets would programme their self checkouts with the option to select a creme egg in the same way as you do for a pastry or fruit, for example. If Cadbury’s are watching, I want 1% of all increased sales if you do this!

Probably would need a big redesign of the foil wrap and require a large wrap around barcode like they would do on certain products in Aldi/Lidl. Also I think scanners would also have a time trying to scan the barcode due to the odd shape.
Speaking of supermarket annoyances, I wish more would place baskets in the aisles in the store (a la Ikea) you know, to help those that might be grabbing a few bits and might need to get a few more rather than struggle round the store trying to hold all the items. Costs nothing and would help to increase sales.

 

[_toommm_]

the blasted things never scanned at the self checkout.

5020 1600 is the barcode - most people who have worked in retail at some point know it off by heart as they never scan.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Trying to lead us back to a supermarket discussion through the medium of creme eggs, another thing that stopped me buying them is that the blasted things never scanned at the self checkout. I would have thought that Cadbury’s could have found a way to print the barcode askew so that it presents correctly on the shape of the egg, alternatively that supermarkets would programme their self checkouts with the option to select a creme egg in the same way as you do for a pastry or fruit, for example. If Cadbury’s are watching, I want 1% of all increased sales if you do this!

Also, things in packets where the barcode is at least partially under the little flappy bit, resulting in much faffing and fiddling to get the thing to scan

 

[dgl]

Or when they've put a reduced sticker on a hot item and the heat has damaged the thermal printing. I quite like having to input the barcode manually.

 

[skyhigh]

alternatively that supermarkets would programme their self checkouts with the option to select a creme egg in the same way as you do for a pastry or fruit, for example. If Cadbury’s are watching, I want 1% of all increased sales if you do this!

Ahem...

 

[Bald Rick]

Ahem...

excellent. I shall assume my royalty cheque for 1% is in the post, and pop down the Porsche showroom now.

 

[Peter Sarf]

excellent. I shall assume my royalty cheque for 1% is in the post, and pop down the Porsche showroom now.

Steady !. I think a voucher for - you know - creme eggs will be the most you can hope for.

But even then don't go counting your eggs before they have erm hatched so to speak.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Also, things in packets where the barcode is at least partially under the little flappy bit, resulting in much faffing and fiddling to get the thing to scan

When I was at the Coop I must’ve raised that issue about a dozen times. Absolutely unforgivable on an own brand product where the retailer has total control over the packaging