Why do shops like B and M have more unusual flavours of things than supermarkets do?

[BarbaraVineFan]

I don’t know what this says about my social media habits, but the algorithm quite often shows me reels of ‘new foods at B and M’ or similar, and it’s always weird and wonderful versions of big brands, like a cappuccino flavoured Kit Kat or something. Can anyone explain why these types of things are available in B and M but not in mainstream supermarkets? And also, has anyone tried any of these unusual snacks and can you recommend them?

I always see them online but whenever I go to my local one none of it is ever there! And it’s a big store

Well Cif and Flash and Sheba are Cif and Flash and Sheba (and they dont do the pate in B+M)

I havent found them cheaper in B+M for the cleaning stuff but then I dont check regularly I just remember noting a couple of times the bits I needed were more there. The cleaner is quite specific with what she will use so Im sent here and everywhere to get this stuff she wants. Cant even remember specifically what it is off the top of my head.

We saw the strawberry digestives in Sainsburys the other week, I picked a pack up but DS said someone had brought them into his worl the previous week and they had been disgusting so we put them back. I agree they probably won't be there in a few weeks.

I avoid it like the plague.

ultra processed garbage.

Does anyone remember Yo Yo biscuits? They were a bit like Viscount in that they were minty. Or at least you could get a minty flavour.

I love a B and M shopping trip!

@RedNine oh is that so?! I was wondering why I kept seeing “Taylor’s” around everywhere. I think here in Scotland they still sell as Mackie’s… maybe Taylor’s is a new sub-brand for them? That’s interesting though because they’re still proudly selling Mackie’s ice cream under its original name.

Well unlike others we don’t have a B&b , home bargains or an Aldi - and the 1 Lidl here isn’t a good one either!!

if I want a B&m type place or Aldi I have to go 12 miles , so I don’t bother

Well, colour me surprised. They started the takeover in 2022 and the snack is finally completed now. They’re keeping Mackie’s as the ice cream selling name though. taylorssnacks.com/about/our-origins/

I also think that this is a curious topic @BarbaraVineFan. I think that it is a mixture of many of the above mentioned reasons:
-end of lines/ discontinuation of products
-foreign manufacturers with English language packing
-test lines for manufacturers prior to approaching the bigger supermarkets

but also as an outlet for new companies/ manufacturers to try their products on a certain demographic before approaching the larger players, and for seasonal manufacturing (you can sometimes still find hot cross buns in the summer , or Christmas chocolates towards Easter for example). Like Poundland,and TK Maxx for that matter, I think that B&M provide an outlet for products that would have often left the mainland for another market in the EU. I know of a few shops in France and in Germany that seem to have some British stock or end of stock from there ( great places for getting cosmetics).

Now my own bug bear: Jack Foulton in Sheffield was my ONLY supplier of Ferrero Rocher ice cream on a tub. And now I cannot find it AnYWHERE!! A complete travesty. If someone, anyone, could help on that matter. I’d really appreciate it

What you have written is not quite true. All food, drinks and pharmaceuticals have to pass the standards of the Food and Drinks Authority (FDA), so that includes all food and drinks and cosmetics sold in UK Supermarkets and stores like B&M. Large chains are extremely stringent and are checked more consistently than small independent shops (hence why you can easily find skin lightening creams with prohibited chemicals in them in those less mainstream shops (—backstreet—) like PAKs rather than in Boots the Chemists). And they put an immense amount of pressure on the manufacturer to prove that the FDA standards have been adhered to. What you might mean is that derivatives of certain chemicals may be more likely to be found in products found in certain shops, due to the country of manufacturing or due to the fact that the derivative is cheaper to manufacture, hence making the overall product price lower to the consumer.

@HorribleHisTories15 regarding Ferrero Rocher ice cream, I know Iceland sells the ones on the stick (https://www.iceland.co.uk/search?q=ferrero) but I could’ve sworn they used to sell the tubs too. Going with the theme of the thread, try places like Farm Foods, Heron Foods, B & M, Food Warehouse (big Iceland), etc. You may strike lucky in those stores.

Thank you @JingsMahBucket, those ones are also delicious, believe me. But now imagine a tub version which offers the crispy topping, and a scoopable Ferrero Rocher flavour all the way through. That’s the one! If you ever see it, grab it and don’t you let it go. Thank heaven for shops like Heron Foods, Jack foulton, B& M and the likes! ❤️