A new birthday cake sandwich from Tesco has divided shoppers across Britain after going viral on social media, with the dessert-inspired creation following hot on the heels of a similar controversy surrounding M&S’s strawberries and cream sandwich.
The limited-edition sandwich, which features brioche-style bread filled with cream cheese icing, strawberry jam and colourful sprinkles, has sparked passionate debate on the Money Saving Central Facebook group where it has already received hundreds of comments. The £3 sandwich, also available as part of Tesco’s meal deal, will only be sold for four weeks in 1,000 stores across the UK.
“Absolutely not, just when strawberries and cream couldn’t get worse,” one shopper commented on the viral post, whilst another added: “Maybe if it was cake cut to look like a sandwich I’d have it but not if it’s on bread. Yuck.”
Victoria Sponge Meets Sandwich Innovation
Tesco revealed the “soirée sandwich” was the result of nine months of development by its product innovation team, taking inspiration from the birthday classic Victoria Sponge cake. The creation contains full-fat soft cheese, seedless strawberry jam, multi-coloured sprinkles and vanilla frosting between slices of sweet brioche-style white bread.
The sandwich packs a substantial caloric punch with 515 calories, 8.4g of saturated fat (42 per cent of an adult’s reference intake) and 31.5g of sugar (35 per cent of the reference intake). Despite these figures, or perhaps because of them, the product has generated intense interest online.
Violaine Barthe, brand manager at Tesco, explained the thinking behind the unusual creation: “With 3.1 million sandwiches sold in Tesco each year, sandwiches make up a big proportion of Clubcard purchases and so there was only one way to celebrate Clubcard turning 30.
The sandwich is priced at £3 on its own but can be purchased as part of the popular meal deal for £4, or at a reduced £3.60 for Clubcard holders. The limited availability of just four weeks has added urgency for curious shoppers wanting to try the controversial creation.
Social Media Erupts with Mixed Reactions
The sandwich has become a talking point across multiple social media platforms, with reactions ranging from enthusiasm to horror. On Reddit’s Tesco page, one confused person asked: “What am I actually looking at?” whilst another described the sandwich as “utter filth”.
However, not all reactions have been negative. One Tesco employee posted: “I work for Tesco and had it for lunch – it’s bloody amazing.” Food reviewers have also weighed in, with popular Manchester-based reviewer John’s Snack Reviews telling his 26,000 followers to “run to Tesco” after trying the sandwich.
Online creator Bella Hill initially compared the filling to “coleslaw” before telling her 125,000 followers “no, don’t do that.” However, after tasting it, she admitted the aftertaste “wasn’t too bad,” comparing it to a Victoria sponge cake.
Another reviewer, @tipscostoflivingcrisis, told his 102,000 followers: “This isn’t good for you at all, but everyone deserves a treat now and again.” After trying it, he described it as “disgustingly tasty.”
Following M&S’s Controversial Lead
The Tesco launch comes just weeks after Marks & Spencer caused a similar stir with its £2.80 strawberries and cream sandwich in June. The M&S creation, inspired by Japanese “sweet sandos” or fruit sandwiches, featured strawberries and whipped cream cheese on fluffy, sweetened bread.
That sandwich, launched during Wimbledon to capitalise on the tournament’s famous strawberries and cream tradition, became M&S’s best-selling sandwich in the two days following its launch despite widespread criticism and confusion from shoppers.
The M&S sandwich sparked debates about whether sweet sandwiches should even be classified as sandwiches, with concerns raised about the high sugar content of the bread and potential VAT implications. Most food sold in the UK is subject to zero-rated VAT, but confectionery, including cakes and biscuits, carries a 20 per cent VAT rate.
Health Concerns and ‘Diabetes Sandwich’ Claims
The nutritional content of Tesco’s birthday cake sandwich has raised eyebrows among health-conscious consumers. On X (formerly Twitter), user @TheTradCatMan described the product as “a diabetes sandwich”, whilst Dr Helen Ingram posted a picture captioned “What horror is this?”
With 31.5g of sugar, the sandwich contains more than a third of an adult’s recommended daily sugar intake in a single serving. The 515 calories also represent approximately a quarter of the recommended daily caloric intake for an average adult.
Despite these concerns, Tesco maintains that the sandwich represents an occasional treat rather than an everyday lunch option, fitting into their wider strategy of offering innovative and unusual products within their meal deal range.
Sandwich Innovation or Step Too Far?
The dessert sandwich trend represents the latest evolution in British sandwich culture. M&S Food, which first sold freshly made sandwiches in the 1920s and pioneered pre-packed sandwiches in the 1980s, has sold over four billion sandwiches to date.
Tesco has also experimented with unconventional sandwich fillings in recent years, including a “Ham, Egg and Chips” sandwich and expanding their meal deal range to include items like Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Pot Noodles, and tomato soup.
Food industry analyst Sarah Mitchell commented: “Supermarkets are constantly looking for ways to generate buzz and drive footfall. These viral food moments, whether positive or negative, create invaluable publicity and often translate into sales from curious consumers.”
Limited Edition Creates Urgency
The four-week limited availability has created a sense of urgency among shoppers, with many rushing to their local Tesco stores to try the controversial creation before it disappears. The sandwich is not currently available online, meaning customers must visit one of the 1,000 participating stores to purchase it.
This scarcity marketing approach has proven successful for supermarkets in the past, with limited-edition products often selling out quickly due to fear of missing out (FOMO) among consumers.
As the debate continues to rage online, one thing is certain: Tesco’s birthday cake sandwich has succeeded in generating the kind of viral attention that money can’t buy. Whether it will translate into long-term sales success or remain a curious footnote in sandwich history remains to be seen.
For now, British shoppers remain divided between those rushing to try this sweet sandwich sensation and those who believe some culinary boundaries should never be crossed.
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