Christmas in August! Supermarkets fill up with Christmas chocolate, mulled wine and bucks fizz
- Shoppers have complained about Tesco and Asda selling Christmas food
- READ MORE: Waitrose and Asda launch Christmas food collections including frozen items available from August to ‘spread the cost’ of the holiday
Supermarket across the UK have shocked shoppers by filling shelves with Christmas foods and drinks, with weeks of the school summer holidays still to go.
Both Tesco and Asda are selling Christmas related goodies, with shoppers snapping photos of chocolate, mulled wine and festive sweets already on sale.
While the weather certainly feels autumnal, many shoppers have been left confused by the goods, saying that it’s not even Halloween yet.
One shopper showed pictures from Tesco in Exeter showing boxes of Celebrations, Quality Street and Roses.
‘Never mind the whole ‘back to school shenanigans appearing everywhere. The first sign of Christmas has been spotted,’ they wrote.
Supermarket across the UK have shocked shoppers by filling shelves with Christmas foods and drinks, just days into the school summer holidays
Both Tesco and Asda are selling Christmas related goodies, with shoppers snapping photos of chocolate, mulled wine and festive sweets already on sale
While the weather certainly feels autumnal, many shoppers have been left confused by the goods, saying that it’s not even Halloween yet
Many shared snaps of Cadbury’s Snowballs, Cadbury Christmas Puddings, Milkybar Festive Friends and Malteser Reindeer that are already on offer
Many shared snaps of Cadbury’s Snowballs, Cadbury Christmas Puddings, Milkybar Festive Friends and Malteser Reindeer that are already on offer.
Some eagle eyed shoppers caught the goods on offer as early as July.
Both Asda and Waitrose have announced their Christmas collections for 2023 with a range of succulent turkey centrepieces, decadent desserts and vegan options on offer.
Waitrose has everything ready for a posh Christmas, with more than 140 new products this year.
Some eagle eyed shoppers caught the goods on offer as early as July
Fans have already complained about the price of Freddos
Snowballs were on offer in Tesco and Asda
Shoppers said that the ‘countdown to Christmas was on’ despite it being months away
Tesco are selling Roses and Heroes for £5 for customers
Festive feeling is spreading in supermarkets
Some shoppers were excited to get their hands on festive chocolate
The upmarket supermarket says that savvy customers have been prepping ahead of times with searches for ‘Christmas dinner ideas’ on Waitrose.com rise 51 per cent compared to the same period last year.
And, in a bid to spread the cost of the festive period frozen vegetables and party foods will be in stock from August.
The line includes the likes of spicy paneer fries, feta popcorn with hot honey and shredded sprouts and cavolo.
Martyn Lee, Waitrose Executive Chef, said: ‘Our team have had a blast developing products for Christmas, with over 140 new products this year, it’s safe to say – we have been very busy.
‘We wanted to do Christmas like nobody else this year and with our Ultimate Triple Nut Roast served in a beautiful panettone casing, social media driven Cinnamon Bunettone and great tasting, high welfare Chestnut-fed Galician Serrano Ham, I think we may have managed to do just that.
Waitrose Christmas food range
Buffet bites and grazing boards
Christmas is the time to celebrate, whether you’re hosting all your family and friends, or planning a smaller affair with your nearest and dearest, we have a selection of delicious buffet bites and Christmas cheese to help you create a spread to impress.
Ensuring you can spend more time with guests and less time in the kitchen this Christmas. We also have seven new additions in our frozen party food range launching in September to allow savvy customers to spread costs and shop ahead this Christmas.
Waitrose Paneer Fries Paneer and grilling cheese in a spiced crumb, with mango chutney and crispy onion dip
Waitrose Feta Popcorn with Hot Honey Bitesize balls of whipped feta, soft cheese and goats cheese, with a quinoa flecked crumb for extra crunch and hot honey dip
Waitrose Red Fox Welsh Rarebit A deliciously creamy vintage Red Fox bake with a splash of ale and a hint of mustard
Waitrose Chestnut-fed Galician Serrano Ham Sweet and nutty ham made from free range pigs fed with chestnuts
Waitrose Shimmering Salmon Mousse Tender Scottish smoked and poached salmon mousse with a shimmering bronze lustre finish – available as a large sharing centrepiece as part of Waitrose Entertaining and a smaller-scale in shops
Waitrose Old Fashioned Smoked Salmon Hung and smoked in a traditional kiln over whisky cask oak chips, cured with salt and sugar finished with whisky, orange and bitters
Centrepieces and Sides
When celebrating over the festive season, it’s no longer just about the traditional turkey that takes pride of place at the big Christmas day lunch.
So we have a number of mains to suit all occasions, to ensure your spread is one that will have people talking for years to come.
And with higher welfare British beef with room to roam, MSC certified seafood that is responsibly farmed and caught and free-range British turkey – you can be sure your produce has come from farmers we know and trust.
Waitrose Jewelled Stuffed Bronze Turkey Crown Free Range British Bronze turkey crown with a pork and jewelled fruit stuffing, dry cured smoked streaky bacon, maple butter glaze, star shaped salted butter and a rosemary sprig.
Waitrose Old Fashioned Glazed Ham‘ Sugar pit’ dry cured boneless ham with a whisky and orange glaze, candied orange slices and smoke flavoured cherries – available on and off the bone
Waitrose 2 Mini Pork Stuffing Panettoni Outdoor bred British pork sausage meat has been laced with panettone crumb, raisins, lemon, cherries, sultanas and caramelised orange zest. Our fresh pork is always British and always outdoor bred or free-range.
Waitrose Shredded Sprouts and Cavolo Nero Spring greens, shredded sprouts and cavolo nero, with crispy maple smoked bacon, coated in a caramelised shallot glaze.
Vegan
With searches for ‘plant based’ on Waitrose.com up 115 per cent compared to the same time last year we wanted to make this our biggest vegan Christmas ever with options for every dish.
Meaning you can create a whole plant based menu bursting with flavour, with no compromises.
Waitrose No.1 Ultimate Triple Nut Roast Richly savoury, with crunchy roasted nuts, sweet potato, lentils, chickpeas and a dash of miso, hand finished with a spiced clementine and apricot chutney glaze. Adorned in whole brazil nuts and almonds.
Waitrose Chestnut and Thyme Plant-Based Turkey Roast and Gravy Hearty plant based soya turkey roast, packed with thyme-scented chestnut and caramelised onion stuffing, served with a rich cabernet sauvignon gravy
Waitrose No.1 Ultimate Vegan Sharing Wellington Moreish mushroom duxelle with no ‘beef’ plant based beef braised in a fragrant shallot, garlic and thyme vegetable stock. Hand decorated with holly to finish.
Waitrose Fruity Stuffing Christmas Trees Apricot and cranberry stuffing decorated with cranberry and a herb breadcrumb
Cakes, Bakes & Desserts
With over 20 new products across desserts and bakery for 2023, there are plenty of sweet treats to be enjoyed by all this Christmas.
From showstopper desserts, to panettone with a modern twist and not forgetting a festive favourite – the mince pie.
Waitrose The Golden Bûche de Noël Belgian blonde chocolate mousse and silky salted caramel and caramelised biscuit sauce on milk chocolate speckled with caramelised biscuit
Waitrose Chocolate and Hazelnut Quenelle Rich hazelnut mousse with a silky milk chocolate sauce hiding inside, on a crisp chocolate base speckled with crunchy feuilletine and cookie crumb
Waitrose Cinnamon Bunattone Panettone meets cinnamon bun – a light cinnamon-spiced Italian cake with pockets of sweet mascarpone sauce. It’s served with a sachet of cinnamon icing sugar to finish. Made in a family-run bakery in Piedmont, Italy, our bunettone takes over 24 hours to create.
Waitrose No.1 Florentine-inspired Panettone Buttery panettone speckled with sultanas, cherries and Sicilian orange peel, swirled with caramel sauce and finished with dark chocolate, cherries, orange peel, almonds and Nocciola Piemonte IGP hazelnuts.
Waitrose Crumble Mince pies with Orange and Cranberry All butter mince pies filled with zesty mincemeat with a dash of Valencian orange oil, tangy cranberry and a buttery crumble on top.
Waitrose Deer-licious Sticky Toffee Pudding Sticky Toffee Pudding made with dates and gingerbread spices. To be finished at hom with a drizzle of the unctuous toffee sauce before adding the gingerbread antlers.
Waitrose Sicilian Orange and Whisky Christmas Pudding Richly fruited pudding laced with Scottish whisky and topped with red and blonde glacé cherries, almonds and candied orange then finished with a sticky Sicilian orange sauce.
Gifts
Gift something delicious from Waitrose this Christmas! Including small gestures for the party host, keepsakes that a loved one will cherish and the perfect treats for your Christmas stocking. Also as part of our brand new Winter Village theme you’ll find our Winter Village Chocolate Box, Biscuit Tin and Poinsettia Musical Tin – ready to reuse again year after year!
We’re proud to continue our use of Fairtrade cocoa in all of our own-brand confectionery and as part of our efforts to remove unnecessary packaging where we can, we have removed non recyclable wooden packaging and replaced it with recyclable card – saving over eight tonnes of packaging from going to landfill.
Waitrose Winter Village Chocolate Box
A 3D showstopper with hidden drawers housing tempting chocolates inside 12 dark chocolates made with zesty Valencia orange, and 12 silky milk chocolate salted caramels.
Waitrose Panettone Chocs
Real Italian panettone is mixed into smooth milk chocolate and given a shimmering lustre in our indulgent panettone truffles. With tangy orange peel for extra fruitiness.
Waitrose Merry the Mince Pie Our new little festive friend, Merry is made from hollow white chocolate with just a touch of milk chocolate.
‘Customers can be certain when they shop at Waitrose this festive season, they will have a Christmas to remember with the best quality products that not only look beautiful on their festive table’s but taste amazing.’
Natalie Mitchell, Director of Own Brand at Waitrose added: ‘Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of year, friends and family come together to celebrate and enjoy the good stuff!
‘With searches on Waitrose.com already rising, it’s obvious that savvy customers are already planning ahead and our team has put a lot of work into the range to ensure customers can do this with ease.
‘So however you’re celebrating this Christmas you can be sure to celebrate with great tasting, ethically sourced food – we hope our customers love the range just as much as we do!
Meanwhile, Asda has also revealed its festive range, focussing on affordable luxury.
Tesco had boxes and boxes of Christmas chocolate
Some shoppers were left bemused at the amount of chocolate on offer
People were shocked at the Christmas goodies being on sale
All dietary requirements are catered for, with 57 new vegan and 35 new free-from products, and Asda’s first ever OMV! festive range which includes a vegan strawberry trifle.
This year, Asda also launches its first ever signature flavour: Brown Butter and Spiced Dark Rum. Based on extensive trend tracking by the Asda Innovation Team, this flavour is brought to life through various products in the range, including Brown Butter and Spiced Dark Rum Mince Pies and Slow Cooked Turkey with Spiced Dark Rum and Brown Butter Stuffing.
Highlights include hand-rolled Extra Special Porchetta made using expertly butchered British, Yorkshire-bred pigs and Extra Special Sundried Tomato Stuffed British Monkfish Tail wrapped in Prosciutto, for those looking to serve something a little different for their centrepiece on the big day.
Christmas is nearly half the year away but goodies are already on sale
With the rise in the grazing trend, customers can create showstopping party tables without the price tag, with the ready-to-serve Extra Special Speciality Cheeseboard and Extra Special Charcuterie Ultimate Grazing Platter.
As well as the signature flavour, customers will see a return of retro favourite, Black Forest, appear in a series of sweet treats. Extra Special Black Forest Yule Log, Extra Special Black Forest Stollen Bites and a showstopping Extra Special Black Forest Woodland Cake are filled with the memorable rich chocolate and sour cherry flavour.
Sam Dickson, Interim Chief Customer Officer at Asda, said: ‘The festive season is a time for joy, comfort, and a sprinkle of indulgence! There is no better way to celebrate Christmas with loved ones than sharing delicious food and drinks.
Asda’s Christmas food range
Extra Special Cured Salmon Edged in Signature Pastrami Spice Bend
Asda’s Scottish salmon is cured with a traditional salt and sugar blend. Hand garnished with a signature spice blend including hints of cracked black pepper, smoked paprika, star anise, cinnamon, and ginger.
Extra Special Sundried Tomato Stuffed Monkfish wrapped in Prosciutto
Looking for something a little different to serve to your guests? This meaty British monkfish tail is infused with a tangy sundried tomato and lemon stuffing. Wrapped in prosciutto and complimented with rosemary and sage basting butters. A spectacular centrepiece to impress guests.
Extra Special Porchetta
Made using expertly butchered British, Yorkshire bred pigs. In true Italian style, the meat is hand rolled in a bespoke seasoning of fennel, garlic, olive oil and lemon zest for a deliciously succulent roast with a perfect crackling top.
Extra Special Ruby Port Drenched Sirloin
A luxurious option for your Christmas dinner centrepiece, our 21-day matured sirloin is soaked in Ruby port for 9 days and accompanied with a port drizzling sauce for extra juiciness
Extra Special Chocolate & Orange Panettone Asda’a panettone is made at a second generation, family-run bakery in the Piedmont region of Italy with an all-butter recipe, made with a mother dough nurtured since 1964. This Italian sweet bread is made with Belgian milk chocolate chunks, candied orange peel, butter and injected with a chocolate and orange sauce. Finally, the dessert is topped with dark chocolate and decorated with milk and dark chocolate flakes.
OMV! Strawberry Trifle A great alternative to a dairy based trifle that does not compromise on flavour. A tangy strawberry compote is made from whole strawberries. Topped with hand placed egg free sponge then a dairy free custard. Finished with a lentil and coconut cream.
Extra Special Chocolate & Honeycomb Avalanche Dessert This frozen dessert is a real showstopper! Salted caramel semi freddo filled with salted caramel sauce, milk chocolate shavings and honeycomb pieces. Finished with milk chocolate sauce and hand placed honeycomb pieces. Customers are invited to remove the collar at the table allowing the sauce to flow down the dessert, creating a real talking point.
Extra Special Chocolate Espresso Martini Cream Liqueur Cold Brew South American Arabica coffee is combined with triple distilled vodka, double cream, cocoa bean extract and sugar syrup. Shake over ice for 30 seconds and pour into a chilled Martini glass to create the most luxurious crema foam top.
‘This year, our incredible colleagues have been busy innovating, sourcing, and creating our most impressive and extensive range to date. Whilst 2023 has been a tough year for everyone across the UK, we want to ensure we can provide lots of opportunities for great tasting food and drink, and our customers don’t have to compromise on quality. We have hundreds of innovative new products as well as improved favourites meaning even more Christmas magic for your dinner table or party spread.
‘I am thrilled with the improvement we have made in our quality this year, whilst keeping customers and value at the forefront of our minds. There is a tendency to think that to get the tastiest food you must spend more – but at Asda, that simply isn’t true.
‘We believe that amazing, tasty food and drink is a pleasure everyone should be able to enjoy. Asda, that’s more like it’.
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