to think Thorntons are kidding themselves?

[Storytown]

Apparently Thornton's sales are down this Christmas because of problems at their distribution centre. AIBU to think that really, they need to accept it's because their chocolates aren't very nice anymore? Don't know what's changed but there's nothing special about them these days IMO. I remember them being very special indeed.

Thorntons profit warning

admittedly they aren't great but nothing makes my heart sink faster than receiving a box of milk tray

Barf to Milk Tray!
I bought some Black Magic from Poundland - hey, I live the highlife! - to recreate the 70s.
They
Were
Awful.

Shiny and just unpleasant.

I completely agree. I wish Mary Portas or Alex Polizzi would sort them out

Thortons are to chocolate what Clinton are to greetings cards. Naff and nasty as you bloody like.

I bought the adorable Harry Hop-a lot chocolate figures for the DC last Easter mainly because they looked cute BUT I figured you can't go wrong with Thorntons... How very wrong I was! Tasted ghastly, very cheap tasting. If I was eating that chocolate blindfolded I'd never guess it was Thorntons in a million years, I'd say supermarket value tbh... I was tempted by the snowman chocolates but there's just no point when I know they'll taste so rubbish. Haven't bought Thorntons since.

The best chocolate shop ever is Puccini Bomboni in Amsterdam. All chocolates made fresh on the premises with no preservatives. They don't do mail order or export and as far as I know only have 3 branches , all in Amsterdam.

These are nice too.

www.highlandchocolatier.com/just-truffles-selection-box-of-20-chocolates-c-4-p-40

Prestat (some varieties) are acceptable.

Chocolate Hotel is vile. Mass produced and sickly - it's Thorntons with a better marketing department.

Phaedra dumon (the orginal one not the other family members ones) in brugges best chocolate ever. Not tried the Amsterdam one but will put that on my list. The old lady gets up at 7am that morning to make the chocolate! Agree re hotel chocolate as mentioned before. Why are people saying its good. I was given some with we had to throw as its so bad. Got lost recently and ended up in their shop. The chocolate they gave me was vile! (Worries about my taste buds)

The best chocolate is Aldi dairyfine dark choc with the mint fondant filling.

Black Magic are no good since they got rid of the butterscotch one

Black Magic are no good since they got rid of the butterscotch one

And the coffee cream.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to save them until after I've had a glass of wine or two.

I still like them too!

Me and the girls are currently munching our way through a Thornton's Chocolate hamper - Surprise delivery from a client It contained:-

Continental, Puddings, Mints, two Father Christmas' and one snowman.

Although delighted and excited once I had tasted one I was so disappointed, wasn't as I remembered, really bland - They've gone all 'Cadbury' That Cocoa powder taste, not rich chocolate.

Galaxy is my favourite although can't remember the last time I had any - that hasn't changed has it?

Coffee creams are the work of the devil.

Thorntons didn't even sell their own selection boxes in our local store this Christmas!

'Old style' Black Magic have cone back this year. I think they might have a coffee cream in them (not the lemon though ).

PP mentioned Italian chocolate I remember having Baci Italian chocolates as a kid and they were gorgeous. I havent had them for many years though.

new.perugina.com/products/

I reckon the quality has gone down.

Back in my 80s childhood, I had a definite hierarchy of chocolate:

Lindt
Suchard
Thorntons
Frys
Cadburys / Rowntree

Thorntons was (to my mind) much closer to Suchard in quality than Frys. Also its chocolates had a definite flavour unlike for example Roses or Quality Street, which to my mind taste the same now as they did then (ie, a sort of generic "sweet" flavour).

I left the UK for NZ in 2001. Thorntons was nice then.

Visited in 2011 and bought some from one of their shops to take back for the kids. I don't remember anything being wrong with it, but I might not have had some.

Saw some recently in the local supermarket for not a very cheap price. Bought it. By golly it was disappointing. It had the same generic "sweet" taste that I associate with Quality Street etc. Really no better than Cadburys (which to my mind has also got worse) and considerably worse than the local brand Whittakers which I do recommend as a perfectly decent non-special-occasion chocolate. No way would I get it again at even half the price I paid.

I will add that the standard of chocolate in the UK has definitely gone right up since I left and the value has improved. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Thorntons had tried to reposition themselves a bit further down the quality rankings. And finally, be grateful for what you have. You have to sell a kidney to afford decent chocolate in NZ.

I remember Suchard. I remember having a Suchard Easter egg in the 80s. Twas lovely.

I've never liked their chocolate. I don't understand how it's meant to be in a different league to cadburys.

I bought myself a huge box of black magic chocs. Had a look on the back of the box tonight. I don't think there are any lemon creams in there. Bastards.

The best chocolate these days comes from Lidl or Aldi.

Aldi chocolate tastes awful I think

"The only Black Magic we were into was a box of chocolates"

• Ozzy Osborne.

Lidl or Aldi did a great rip off of those Guerline chocolate seashells last year. My parents gave me some for Christmas and they were lovely.