Page 17 | £195 for a beef wellington!

Blueskybird · 2025-10-11T15:28:03+00:00

Just that really, are supermarkets now taking the absolute Micky?? I know I don’t have to buy it. I know no one is forcing me to. But seriously how can they actually think it’s ok to demand that price for a Beef wellington that serves 6. Granted it’s in the celebrity chef Christmas range and I’m well aware that we all have different budgets and I absolutely expect to pay for quality but come on, that’s a scandalous price. AIBU to think we have lost the plot with food pricing or would you pay it?

Original poster

Blueskybird · 11/10/2025 18:27

BlueSlate · 11/10/2025 17:43

Ah, I miss the days when people like the OP would have been called one of the professionally offended.

Haven't seen that in years.

Not actually impacted by the issue personally but feigning outrage on behalf of people who aren't as fortunate as her in having the choice.

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Do you have to be personally impacted by something to have a valid opinion or observation?

OP posts:

DreamyTealGuide · 11/10/2025 18:26

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:19

Good Lord, they must be laughing like drains at the people who buy that! Just buy a slightly larger turkey than normal and make a pie with the leftovers. All it would cost is the pastry. FIFTY POUNDS FOR A TURKEY PIE!!!

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or maybe someone hasn't gone away or hasn't booked a restaurant, and is happy to pay extra so they don't have to cook the pie?

Who has time to make a pie?

I wouldn't buy one, I don't like pies 😂 but the outrage for absolute basic stuff is ridiculous.

It's if £50 for one adult, sounds expensive, but if it feeds several people, who cares.

BlueSlate · 11/10/2025 18:26

Growlybear83 · 11/10/2025 18:15

I bought an enormous whole fillet of beef a couple of weeks ago for £75, which I cut into 16 large steaks, even allowing for the equivalent of two large steaks per person, and taking the other ingredients into account, I still think you could make your own easily for under £100. I’ve made beef wellington many times - it’s a fairly straightforward thing to make.

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It is but if someone is hosting dinner for 6 people and is working right up until Christmas Eve, they want to buy it and they can afford it, I don't see the problem.

If people are putting it on a credit card and they're also spending £1k on Christmas presents that they're also putting on credit cards, then they probably.cant afford it.

If someone decides it looks nice and they won't have the time to make one but can afford to buy it, I still don't see the problem.

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:26

flowrrpoh · 11/10/2025 18:23

How many grams of beef per person, Crystal?

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You're being silly. We are all entitled to our opinions on prices.

It's not the absolute price, the question is whether it's value for money.

But since you asked, 200g and not a micro-gram more! 😂

Charlenedickens · 11/10/2025 18:25

OxfordInkling · 11/10/2025 18:23

I’m not too bothered, though I wouldn’t buy it myself. We’ll be having a nice gammon as usual.

But beef wellington is a right pain in the proverbial to make and get right, so if you want it you’ll have to pay. I’d go for the forum £120 though - I don’t pay the extra for celebrity endorsement.

Again the fortunum one is nearly half the size, with no chicken, red wine gravy or truffles and is frozen. If it’s name you object to, why would you not buy the markies one which is 20 percent smaller than the fortnums one for only 60 quid. As the fortnums one you’re paying for the name.

flowrrpoh · 11/10/2025 18:24

OxfordInkling · 11/10/2025 18:23

I’m not too bothered, though I wouldn’t buy it myself. We’ll be having a nice gammon as usual.

But beef wellington is a right pain in the proverbial to make and get right, so if you want it you’ll have to pay. I’d go for the forum £120 though - I don’t pay the extra for celebrity endorsement.

It's cheaper as it's less in quantity for one.

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:24

Charlenedickens · 11/10/2025 18:18

On fillet there is a huge difference in frozen v fresh

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Ah, OK. I'm not much of a cook, so wasn't sure. I'll remember that if I'm ever trying to cook to impress!

flowrrpoh · 11/10/2025 18:23

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:22

It's common and normal to have opinions on prices, isn't it?

Consumers know when companies are offering a fair price and when they're not.

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How many grams of beef per person, Crystal?

Charlenedickens · 11/10/2025 18:23

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:22

It's common and normal to have opinions on prices, isn't it?

Consumers know when companies are offering a fair price and when they're not.

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Right so you must think the markies one for 60 quid is a good deal then.your issue is there is a high end fresh one with truffles chicken, red wine gravy, mushrooms and hot water pastry, weighing in at over 2kg. Okdoke.

OxfordInkling · 11/10/2025 18:23

I’m not too bothered, though I wouldn’t buy it myself. We’ll be having a nice gammon as usual.

But beef wellington is a right pain in the proverbial to make and get right, so if you want it you’ll have to pay. I’d go for the forum £120 though - I don’t pay the extra for celebrity endorsement.

ginasevern · 11/10/2025 18:22

I'm a fairly confident/competent cook but beef wellington is a real faff and can so easily go wrong. Really and truly if you add up the cost of fillet beef and the fact all the labour is done for you, it's not that bad. You'd pay a lot more in a restaurant per serving and probably have to pay extra for the sides too these days.

JohnTheRevelator · 11/10/2025 18:22

Was it from Fortnum and Mason? Or Harrods? 😂

DontCallMeLenYouLittleBollix · 11/10/2025 18:22

Sandy483 · 11/10/2025 18:08

We'll have a chicken with all the trimmings and be perfectly happy.

I would actually prefer that to this!

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:22

flowrrpoh · 11/10/2025 18:19

How many grams of beef should one have per person according to the law?

Again, don't buy it. What's the issue?

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It's common and normal to have opinions on prices, isn't it?

Consumers know when companies are offering a fair price and when they're not.

flowrrpoh · 11/10/2025 18:20

Thunderpants88 · 11/10/2025 18:17

I am a relatively decent cook. I hosted 18 adults for beef wellington from scratch. The beef fillet portion each person got was massive and there was a lot leftover. The meat itself was £180 for 3 colossal fillets from a butcher so yes I think the price M and S are charging is RIDICULOUS. The mushroom duxelles that surrounds the beef is not overly expensive to make and neither is the pastry.

Issue with pricing in supermarkets is they assume people are cash rich and time and skill poor so they feel like £180 for 6 for the meat part of the dish is justified. I don’t think it is

They don't assume, they know. It's hardly rocket science that people pay different amounts for food.

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:19

MrsWhites · 11/10/2025 18:04

I mean I was shocked that they are charging £50 for a turkey pie!

Good Lord, they must be laughing like drains at the people who buy that! Just buy a slightly larger turkey than normal and make a pie with the leftovers. All it would cost is the pastry. FIFTY POUNDS FOR A TURKEY PIE!!!

flowrrpoh · 11/10/2025 18:19

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:17

Oh. Well it's a bit silly for the servings of the smaller one to be more than the bigger one, then. How misleading.

I don't think there's any difference in the taste between fresh and frozen beef once cooked, so that wouldn't bother me. I think people are unnecessarily snobbish about frozen beef. Beef casserole even benefits from being frozen and reheated.

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How many grams of beef should one have per person according to the law?

Again, don't buy it. What's the issue?

BlueSlate · 11/10/2025 18:18

Zippidydoodah · 11/10/2025 17:57

And here, I give you an example of the “haves”…..😆

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Being able to understand and reason something isn't an indicator of wealth.

Charlenedickens · 11/10/2025 18:18

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:17

Oh. Well it's a bit silly for the servings of the smaller one to be more than the bigger one, then. How misleading.

I don't think there's any difference in the taste between fresh and frozen beef once cooked, so that wouldn't bother me. I think people are unnecessarily snobbish about frozen beef. Beef casserole even benefits from being frozen and reheated.

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On fillet there is a huge difference in frozen v fresh

flowrrpoh · 11/10/2025 18:18

Charlenedickens · 11/10/2025 18:16

What are you struggling ro understand please.

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I don't understand what you're referring to. The comments you quoted didn't reference any other fillet of beef?

padronpepper · 11/10/2025 18:17

@flowrrpoh
Exactly 😂

Thunderpants88 · 11/10/2025 18:17

I am a relatively decent cook. I hosted 18 adults for beef wellington from scratch. The beef fillet portion each person got was massive and there was a lot leftover. The meat itself was £180 for 3 colossal fillets from a butcher so yes I think the price M and S are charging is RIDICULOUS. The mushroom duxelles that surrounds the beef is not overly expensive to make and neither is the pastry.

Issue with pricing in supermarkets is they assume people are cash rich and time and skill poor so they feel like £180 for 6 for the meat part of the dish is justified. I don’t think it is

DontCallMeLenYouLittleBollix · 11/10/2025 18:17

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:12

I haven't seen the Marks one, but the OP said it serves 6 and the Fortnum one serves 6-8.

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Check the respective links out for yourself.

https://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/cfto-filet-of-beef-by-tk/p/fdp60774744

The M and S one is 2.1kg. Perhaps they have different ideas about portion size, but either way, not sure Fortnum and Mason are the automatic go to on pricing here.

Collection Fillet of British Beef Wellington by Tom (Serves 6)

This whopper of a Wellington is the ultimate Christmas Eve showstopper. The most tender British beef fillet is encased in a portobello mushroom and smooth chicken mousse duxelles, with a luxurious hint of black truffle. It's all wrapped in Tom’s signat...

https://christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/cfto-filet-of-beef-by-tk/p/fdp60774744

Charlenedickens · 11/10/2025 18:17

Tryingtokeepgoing · 11/10/2025 18:16

On a weight basis I think the F&M one is probably a third smaller as it only weighs about 1.2 kilos, and someone further up posted that the M&S one weighs 2.1 kilos. I haven’t checked that, but for 8 I’d use a 2 kilo piece of fillet, which is well over £100 before you’ve started

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And markies do a 1kg one for 60 pounds.

CrystalShoe · 11/10/2025 18:17

Charlenedickens · 11/10/2025 18:13

Yes, 1.4 kg v 2.1 and it won’t be mass produced as it’s fresh.

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Oh. Well it's a bit silly for the servings of the smaller one to be more than the bigger one, then. How misleading.

I don't think there's any difference in the taste between fresh and frozen beef once cooked, so that wouldn't bother me. I think people are unnecessarily snobbish about frozen beef. Beef casserole even benefits from being frozen and reheated.