M&S confirms it has axed a popular teatime meal in supermarket shake-up
M&S has confirmed that a popular teatime meal has been axed as the supermarket carries out a shake-up.
As we head deeper into autumn and a cold winter this hearty product missing off shelves could disappoint a few people.
The supermarket has cut the Plant Kitchen: 2 No Beef Steak Pies that M&S makes itself.
They earned rave reviews from shoppers before they were scraped.
One pie lover asked M&S on X whether the had stopped stocking the item, with a spokesperson replying to say they had.
They said: “Please keep an eye out in our Foodhalls for the new lines coming soon.”
The supermarket then expanded to say that it was set to relaunch the Plant Kitchen range.
They posted: “We’re currently working on relaunching our Plant Kitchen vegan range.
“We’ve not changed the number of vegan products, but we are in the process of changing their design, upgrading quality, launching some new lines and changing their position in store.”
The description on the packet says the vegan pies serve two.
It reads: “Two shortcrust pastry pies packed with pea protein and vegetables in a rich mushroom gravy.
“M&S Plant Kitchen offers a wide selection of flavour-packed, plant-based products that are totally delicious. Each product is made of 100% plant-based, vegan-friendly ingredients.
“Packed with pea protein and vegetables in a rich mushroom gravy, Plant Based Totally Delicious!, Vegan & Vegetarian Friendly.”
The axing comes after M&S also axed the supermarket’s Vegan ‘Chicken’ & Pepper Pizza.
That Plant Kitchen product was also vegan and was only introduced in January last year.
Plant Kitchen products can still be bought at other supermarkets, selling for around £4.
They were recently found to contain nearly 10 times more sugar than meat-based equivalents.
M&S also recently axed some of its popular Percy Pig sweets – leading to desperate calls for them to be reinstated.
The chain also axed the almond milk and vanilla hand wash that it made, leaving fans aghast.
Why are products axed or recipes changed?
ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders.
Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether.
They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers.
There are several reasons why this could be done.
For example, government regulation, like the “sugar tax,” forces firms to change their recipes.
Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs.
They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable.
For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018.
It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version.
Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year.
Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks.
While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.