We’ve all seen it – headlines and social media posts about a strawberry sandwich from M&S as some people declare it a “gimmick” while others proclaim it to be “game changing”.
Regardless of what way you fall in the debate, one thing is for sure – you probably have an opinion, even if you have yet to try the sandwich for yourself.
Therein lies the genius. M&S has got consumers talking and people flocking to their stores to share their own experience of it. So much so that in my quest to sample it, I was met with a ‘Sorry, I’ll be in soon’ sticker placed over the shelf label (and that was on my third fruitless store visit).
Let’s take a closer look at the hype then. It’s easy to understand why some people don’t fancy tucking in. After all, sandwiches, at least in the UK, tend to be savoury with sweet versions smeared with jam or marmalade often associated with kids’ lunch boxes or certain famous bears.
The M&S creation is a far cry from this. The retailer said the Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich, as it’s officially known, is inspired by the sweet sandos popping up at London’s trendiest Japanese patisseries. What’s more, it taps into the beautifully British flavour combination of strawberries and cream just in time for Wimbledon to get underway. As such, it features sliced Red Diamond strawberries with light whipped cream cheese on fluffy sweetened bread.
So why is this a lesson in product development? It walks the fine line between novelty and on-trend, accepting the fact that consumers are looking for something shareable and delivering it at a price point which allows for many people to get in on the conversation (£2.80). It combines flavours consumers are comfortable with in a format which pushes the boundaries just the right amount.
Ultimately, it produces a shareable moment via a limited-edition product – the perfect vehicle to drive sales without the retailer having to commit long-term to a product whose appeal may dip after the initial wave of excitement dies down. The fact it has sold out in some stores will, for the time being at least, keep demand heightened as shoppers eagerly wait for them to come back in stock.
For comparison, Subway has also looked to tap into the opportunity with its own strawberries and cream offering although, unlike M&S, its sweet sandwich run is limited to only one day (30 June) at just five outlets suggesting it is purely in it for the social media hype.
There’s more mileage in the M&S sandwich story yet. Beyond the initial debate as to whether it ‘worth the hype’ there’s been an interesting question pop up around VAT – whether it is already applied to the sandwich and, if not, whether it should be. Some experts argue that it meets the criteria for VAT to be applied as it may be classified as ‘sweetened prepared food, other than cakes and non-chocolate biscuits, which is normally eaten with the fingers’. However, cold sandwiches (which some argue the product is packaged as) is subject to zero VAT.
And so, the conversation continues. While that happens, I’ll do my best to get my hands on that sandwich. Stay tuned.
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