In a festive shake-up, a classic Christmas staple is facing new competition as shoppers turn away from traditional favourites like Cadbury Heroes, Roses, and Quality Street. The challenger? A ‘magical’ own-brand chocolate tin from Marks & Spencer that is winning hearts and trolley space this December.
The Great Christmas Chocolate Switch
The annual debate over which tub of chocolates graces the living room table is a British tradition as entrenched as the turkey itself. However, this year, frustration with the leading brands has reached a tipping point. Fans of Nestlé's Quality Street were left fuming after discovering the iconic tub had shrunk from 600g in 2024 to 550g this season, while still costing up to £7 in some supermarkets.
This perceived ‘rip off’, coupled with recent packaging changes, has sent consumers searching for a worthy alternative. Enter M&S's ‘Big Mix’, available in a 650g carton for £7 or a generous 1.2kg tin for £12. The offering features ten different sweets in colourful, shiny wrappers and is suitable for vegetarians.
What Makes the M&S Tin So Special?
The selection inside the M&S tin is designed to rival the classics, including flavours like Salted Caramel, Coffee Truffle, Hazelnut in Caramel, and Strawberry Crème. But beyond the taste, it's the presentation that has sparked a wave of nostalgia and praise.
Shoppers on platforms like Ocado and social media have been raving. One reviewer, ‘littlepieces’, awarded a 5/5 rating, stating it was the ‘best chocolate box for Christmas’ and that they had been buying it for years over other brands. Another, ‘Whirley Shirley’, praised the ‘nice milk chocolate covering’ and unique flavours like the coffee truffle.
The sentiment was echoed loudly on social media. On Instagram, account @uknewestfoods shared snaps, with followers declaring they'd choose M&S ‘purely because they still have shiny wrappers’. On X, user @chatswithem delivered a blunt verdict to the big brands: ‘Everyone hates your new Roses and Quality Street plastic tubs and basic, plain, soul-destroying wrappers.’
She contrasted this with M&S, whose traditional metal tins and beautiful shiny wrappers are ‘literally flying off the shelves’ and preserving the ‘awe’ and ‘magic’ of childhood Christmases for a new generation.
Not Just Sparkle, But Substance
The critique of the mainstream brands extends beyond sparkle. Quality Street's move to paper wrappers in 2023, aimed at reducing plastic, has been met with disappointment by many who cherish the tactile experience. As X user @Ajcts put it, at Christmas they want ‘sparkle and tins filled to the brim, not a half-filled plastic tub of paper drab wrappers.’
Of course, taste is subjective. Some online reviewers have found the M&S chocolates ‘very sweet’ or ‘sickly’, suggesting they may best suit those with a particularly strong sweet tooth. However, the overwhelming public response suggests M&S has tapped into a deep-seated desire for festive tradition and perceived value.
This chocolate triumph follows another headline-grabbing move from M&S this season: the launch of a £195 Tom Kerridge Beef Wellington that, despite sparking debate over its price, has since sold out. It seems the retailer is making a significant impact on the UK's festive food landscape from main course to dessert.
As the Christmas countdown continues, it appears that for a growing number of British households, the ‘magical’ metal tin from M&S is set to become the new centrepiece of their festive sharing traditions.
