Marks & Spencer has announced its Christmas food range for 2026, featuring 300 new products and 400 returning favourites, but shoppers are already voicing a common complaint: there is too much pistachio.
The first items will hit shelves from September 2, yet the festive offering has already sparked debate on social media. The range includes a variety of pistachio-themed treats, such as Pistachio Star Chocolate (£3), new Pistachio Muddles (£10), and Choc Marks Salted Blond Chocolate Pistachios, Shortbread and Cornflakes Minis (£12).
Shoppers react to the pistachio overload
The abundance of pistachio products has not gone unnoticed. One Instagram user wrote: 'Can we stop with the pistachio? Not everyone likes pistachio.' Another commented: 'I love pistachio, and even I think this is too much. It's putting me off!' A third added: 'The obsession with pistachio just needs to stop.'
The pistachio craze traces back to the Dubai chocolate bar, filled with crispy knafeh, pistachio cream, and tahini spread, first launched by UAE-based Fix Dessert Chocolatier in 2021. The sweet treat gained widespread popularity in 2023 after influencer Maria Vehera shared a TikTok video of herself trying it, which amassed over 120 million views.
Since then, many brands have introduced their own versions, including Fox's 'Dubai Style' pistachio chocolate biscuits, Lindt's Dubai Style Chocolate, and a Terry's pistachio flavour that arrived last August. Searches for 'pistachio' on Waitrose.com surged by 788% in spring 2025 compared to the same period the previous year. The demand even led to a worldwide pistachio shortage in April 2025, and the trend shows no signs of abating, with pistachio drinks, protein bars, flavoured coffees, and cakes now common across UK aisles.
Other new treats in the M&S Christmas lineup
For those who are not pistachio fans, M&S's Christmas drop includes a range of other sweet treats. New for 2026 is a twist on Percy Pigs, priced at £2 a bag, containing sugar-coated piglets, gingerbread men, stars, and Christmas trees, all made with real fruit juice. The £8 Malt Balls Selection box offers a mix of milk, dark, white, or blond chocolate crunch malt balls, positioned as a rival to Maltesers.
Biscuit lovers can look forward to new tins, including Spiced Gingerbread Biscuits in an M&S truck tin filled with gingerbread people (£6) and a Chocolate Chunk Cookie Lenticular Tin featuring a naughty or nice elf design (£5). Returning favourites include Playful Penguins at £5, a box of hand-decorated milk chocolate penguins filled with blond chocolate ganache, and the gingerbread and white chocolate cookies, priced at £3.25.
Lifestyle editor Kristina Beanland praised the cookies, saying: 'I love the aggressive sweetness of the white chocolate, and how it's complemented by the spiced gingerbread. It's just a match made in heaven… I've been known to eat all five of the pack in one sitting.'
Full list of M&S Christmas food launching September 2
The complete range launching on September 2 includes: The Original Gimme S'more Munch (£10), Pistachio Muddles (£10), Malt Balls Selection (£8), Big Mix Tin (£12), The Original Peanut Butter & Jelly Munch (£10), Collection 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil Crisps with Lobster (£3.90), Belgian Milk Chocolate Coated Crispy Chilli Peanuts (£3), British Hand Cooked Aberdeen Angus Beef & Mustard Crisps (£1.80), The Big Daddy Advent Calendar (£12), Choc Mini Marks Advent Calendar (£12), 85% Dark Chocolate Orangettes (£5), Playful Penguins (£5), Pistachio Star (£3), Chocolate Rodney the Reindeer Noses (£3.50), All Butter Plain & Chocolate Chip Shortbread Magical Projector (£10), Chocolate Chunk Cookie Lenticular Tin (£5), Spiced Gingerbread Biscuits (£6), Custard Cream Spread (£2.50), Collection Sticky Figgy Mustard (£5), Everything Sugar N Spice (£2), Pistachio and Single Origin Chocolate Bombe (£12), Gingerbread & White Chocolate Cookies (5pk) (£3.25), Malt & Caramel Cookie Pie (£3.50), 4 Rodney the Reindeer Pies (£3.50), Colin & Connie the Caterpillars Christmas Time (£2), Percy Pig Merry Percymas (£2), and Percy Pig Festive Fun (£2).
The release of the range on September 2 will allow shoppers to decide whether the pistachio-heavy selection meets their festive expectations.
