Wow, Fortnum & Mason's is obscenely £££, £10.50 for a single 3inch hollow nutcracker chocolate.

[Christmasinbed]

I knew it was bad, but I wasn't expecting it to be that bad. I went in to see if I could get a £10 Christmassy chocolate gift. Something smallish but nicely packaged. It appears even the smallest boxes are arout £18/19. Not worth it in my opinion. Perhaps they're recouping their carpet cleaning costs after the Just Stop Oil demos recently...🤔

I've always wanted to go to fortnums...if I ever win the lottery, I'll go do a weekly shop there 😂

So what? It's always been an expensive shop.

It's an expensive shop that has its roots in supplying posh picnics to royalty and the aristocracy. Their main customer base is Asian/American tourists and wealthy residents who feel reassured paying high prices for this stuff, and can afford to. That, and corporate hampers. It has never purported to be value for money, but it is very nice quality.

Some of their biscuits are amazing though😋

Missing the point of the thread, but I can recommed Carbonnel et Walker hot chocolate for a Christmassy gift of about £10!

I know! And the caviar at Harrods too!

You don’t have to buy them. Fortnums is a luxury shop which means their products are expensive.

You don’t actually go “in”. Anyone who’s anyone has the F&H helicopter land on the grounds and sends the staff out to collect.

But you're paying for the packaging and branding too, which presumably you value as you went looking for a gift there.

Yes it is ridiculous, but it has always been thus...

Try ordering online. Their array of titles when you check out is legendary! Wing Commander, Very Reverand, Lord, Lady, Earl, His Grace... It is mind blowing!

I remember years ago when I was a student visiting London and going in to buy my grandad a treat. I came out with a box of two rum truffles as it was literally all I could afford. I dread to think how much those two tiny chocolates would cost now.

It is way overpriced. Just buy decent quality at a better price elsewhere.

DH and I always buy a few of our stocking items there.. it’s not really Christmas til I’ve been in. Usually it will be marmalade, honey or chutney, coffee or tea and some biscuits. Yes I know it’s expensive but it’s special as far as we’re concerned. We tend to have a nice tin out of it at the end of it too. During lockdown I sent a friend a tea hamper for her birthday with a silver strainer which I didn’t think was terrible value.

Another one who thinks the biscuits are amazing.

@Divebar2021 I think that's a smart move. Biscuits go quickly. Chutney etc lasts much longer and makes your fridge look posh

I'd love to know where you find some of the stuff F&M sell at a better price elsewhere. The price they charge is part of their MO - you use the Queen's own grocer, you expect to pay for the exclusivity and the snob value and the stuff yiu can't buy elsewhere. If you wanted value you'd be shopping in Sainsbury.

I mean you can buy as good quality way cheaper. My nearest artisan baker makes amazing biscuits and brownies at much less cost than Fortnums and Masons.

Their chutney and marmalade aren't too horrendously expensive. And they are absolute favourites. Like a PP it's not quite Christmas until the stocking-filler dash to Fortnum's

I bought a bottle of Italian rose there recently, that was £10. Also their seeded sour dough bread is amazing and huge. Lasts us ages. Not useful as a present though.

When they open a shop in my town (northern midlands) I might bother with them...

I don't think their biscuits are all that great for the price tbh. I do think their smoked Earl Grey teabags are worth it for a treat though.

You can also do this with Hotel Chocolat. I love getting post for Commander PolkaDotMankini.

And Boden. My DD is a Baroness 🤣.

Not sure if it's a better price, but I was told Audreys chocolates in Hove make fortnums chocolates. Years ago fortnums sparkling wine was made by a vineyard in Cornwall, but not sure who does it now.

F&M don't manufacture their own stuff, they have arrangements with other manufacturers to do it under the fortnums label.

Jesus Christ.

Complaining about the prices at F&M MUST be peak MN.

Other shops are available, you know.

(Also, I must get the gardener to sort out the helicopter landing patch, getting good staff is a nightmare these days.)