Quality Street lacking in 'quality' or is it me...

[Bearnecessity]

So have thrown in the towel early this week and have just quaffed my first chocs and was less than impressed by the chocolate. I am quite prepared to believe it is just me...not as I remember but my taste buds do seem all over the show generally post-menopause.What is your verdict?

I agree- MiL gave us a tin ( well plastic tub) at the weekend and I thought how unchocolatey they tasted- sort of slimy too. Yuk!

I love Quality Street but wish they were made by Lindt!

I still like all the chocolate but agree with this and other threads that the standard of Quality Street and Roses have declined massively since the 90s/noughties. Cadburys Roses used to be so luxurious and nice back in the day but since the Americans took it over in 2010 everything from the standard of the wrapping has declined, never mind the taste. Clearly ingredients were changed to cut costs and people notice.

Celebrations I used to like because of the Truffle but to cut costs they removed it and now it seems filled with boring Mars and Snickers. And Miniature Heroes too have clearly tried to cut costs too by sticking in the awful eclair sweet which has no place in a box of chocolates but as they don't have to be made especially they threw it in and took out the nice flake.

What chocolate is worth the calories? Any recommendations. Actually sick of Heros/Celebrations too 😬

@fitzwilliamsquare

I still like all the chocolate but agree with this and other threads that the standard of Quality Street and Roses have declined massively since the 90s/noughties. Cadburys Roses used to be so luxurious and nice back in the day but since the Americans took it over in 2010 everything from the standard of the wrapping has declined, never mind the taste. Clearly ingredients were changed to cut costs and people notice.

Celebrations I used to like because of the Truffle but to cut costs they removed it and now it seems filled with boring Mars and Snickers. And Miniature Heroes too have clearly tried to cut costs too by sticking in the awful eclair sweet which has no place in a box of chocolates but as they don't have to be made especially they threw it in and took out the nice flake.

I’d forgotten about those oval truffles! Have they gone now? 2020 continues to disappoint

I buy a tub of these ( or others) every year but we've been disappointed for the last few years.
Probably won't bother next year.

Both Roses and Quality Street are made of that really sickly sweet “fake” tasting chocolate, with probably very little actual chocolate at all. They make my teeth hurt. It’s so sad as I don’t think they used to be like this (I’m 35).

I am a greedy pig and can eat chocolate by the bucketload, but even I won’t touch them with a barge pole. Every mouthful is a small heartbreak.

''Cheap shit chocolate, packed with cheap shit palm oil. It's nothing like the Quality Street you remember from the 80s or 90s.

And it's owned by Nestle.''

I generally think most of Nestle stuff is crap and inferior chocolate to Cadburys, yet I do think Nestle give Cadburys a very good run for their money with Quality Street and Dairy Box.

I am a bit worried I am going to end up one of those old biddies (sorry old biddies).... who doesn't eat anything because nothing tastes like it used to....even my ds has just knocked them back...

I think part of it is our expectations were lower years back. I know that Thorntons quality went right down once they had to compete in the supermarket market place. I think the truth is you have to pay a lot more for better chocolate. This weekend in the Lakes (Ambleside) there is a chocolate shop where they make it on premises. You can buy them individually, they are huge but pricey. But they are gorgeous. I think I bought 7 and it was over £5.

As a good cheap alternative, there is always Heroes. Soon all get eaten in our house. Not a fan of quality street.

''I’d forgotten about those oval truffles! Have they gone now? 2020 continues to disappoint''

yea they were the sweet that made Celebrations famous being their signature sweet and the bastards went and removed it as a cost cutting measure.

You need chocolate without palm oil or soya in it. Tony's chocolonely, Ritter sport, Waitrose own, Sainsbury's own, lots available widely.

Yanbu. Stopped buying them few years ago😔

I agree - I had a run a couple of weeks ago (bought for me for my birthday so not stupidly early Christmas chocs) and they just tasted out of date to me!

*a tub!!

A lot of chocolates are shit these days. The worst culprits are Milk Tray.

''I think the truth is you have to pay a lot more for better chocolate. This weekend in the Lakes (Ambleside) there is a chocolate shop where they make it on premises. You can buy them individually, they are huge but pricey. But they are gorgeous. I think I bought 7 and it was over £5.''

Yea my wealthy friend went to Belgium a few years ago and got back a small box of Belgian chocs [think it was around 200 quid-can't remember but I recall being shocked] but they tasted good.

Chocolate when I were a lass was hard and brittle. It took force to snap it. It was sweet and chocolatey.

Now it’s brown, over sweet, mouth cloying bendy wax.

Give your tongue the best Christmas pressie ever. Ditch the brown shit and try Tony Chocoloney (sp?) and Montezuma’s - not cheap but your tastebuds and waistline will thank you.

Or, just eat a candle - still better than the brown sludge.

They’re revolting. Have been for a few years. Roses too.

Most chocolate is nowhere near as nice as it used to be, sadly.
Also the best Quality Street chocolates are no longer in the tub.

We've made a family decision to beak with tradition this year and not have a tub.

I made the mistake of buying a quality street advent calendar - there are no pictures behind the doors! It’s the bleakest piece of tat ever with no thought or care. Too many boaky new flavours too - the green triangle barely tastes of anything any more - it’s just claggy and sweet.

I agree with you OP. QS were always a bit lack lustre, and have gone downhill over the years. Maybe it's the palm oil?

I like Lindt chocolate, and Lidl's chocolate is good. It's hard to find a decent box of chocolates these days, unless you're prepared to pay more.

''I think part of it is our expectations were lower years back.''

Nah I think it is more that even the supermarket chocolate used cocoa years ago but these days the cost of cocoa has risen as there is a shortage and it's all palm oil on the cheap and it diminished the quality. You can't win though as if Cadbury's and other companies were to revert to their old formulas you'd have people say it was a rip off. We still are miles ahead though of American chocolate or European stuff-I got a Mars Bar in Crete once and it was really rich and sickening.
Roses/Quality Street are cheaper now than in the 90s or at the very least have not risen with inflation so you can be sure they cost fcuk all to make hence the low quality we get today.

CopperheadRoad
Every mouthful is a small heartbreak

I’m seeing Ingrid Bergman wrapped up in a coat, gripping her upturned collar on the edge of an icy lake - film noir style.

Don't get me wrong I am not averse to forking out on a better quality chocolate...thank god for the birthday stash 😉 I just wasn't expecting the complete lack of anything enjoyable even in the purple one. This could be a watershed moment for me age 49 and I don't think I will buy them again.....very sad....some fond memories of Christmases past...I will try the recommended Tony Chocoloney....the name warrants I give it a try...all serious market research you understand...