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Tesco has released a bizarre Birthday Cake Sandwich modelled on the classic Victoria sponge – but some shoppers are sceptical about the supermarket’s latest innovation.
The new, sweet sandwich comes just weeks after Marks & Spencer launched its strawberries and cream filled variant to a similarly mixed reception.
Made with brioche-style white bread and packed with full-fat soft cheese, seedless strawberry jam, multi-coloured sugar sprinkles and vanilla frosting, the £3 product also forms part of Tesco’s meal deal offer.
Those with a Clubcard can purchase it along with a drink and snack for £3.60 while those who haven’t signed up can get the meal deal for £4.
Introduced as limited edition, it will be available in 1,000 stores across the country for just four weeks.
The novel sandwich has, unsurprisingly, taken social media by storm – but that’s not to say that customers are universally excited by the prospect of it.
Taking to X, one person wasn’t very enthusiastic at all, writing: ‘Birthday cake sandwich being sold at Tesco. Think cake is nicer lol’.
Another person wryly noted: ‘Well hello Tesco Birthday cake sandwich – makes note to avoid.’
A third was even more damning, adding: ‘That “birthday cake” Tesco sandwich looks absolutely vile btw.’
Someone else commented: ‘The Tesco birthday cake sandwich tastes like the smell of a £2 large birthday cake scented candle from B&M. Don’t do it. First meal deal sandwich I’ve had in nearly three months and it wasn’t worth it’.
Yet, not everyone was quick to write off Tesco’s latest offering completely.
One person enthused: ‘I want to try that new Tesco birthday cake sandwich so bad’.
A second user gave a glowing review: ‘I can’t lie, I rather enjoyed the Tesco birthday sandwich’.
Tesco’s new product is just the most recent in a string of bold sandwich launches.
Last year, the supermarket released the limited edition Beechwood Ham, Egg and Chips sandwich, influenced by the traditional British ‘local caff’ staple of ham, egg and chips.
The sandwich featured layers of succulent Beechwood ham, chopped egg mayonnaise, and salt and vinegar potato fries, topped with ketchup and all nestled between two thick slices of white bread.
Tesco’s Birthday Cake sandwich comes hot on the heels of M&S’ dessert sandwich filled with strawberries and cream, designed to get Britons hooked on ‘sweet sandwiches’.
The retailer was charging £2.80 for the ‘game-changing’ limited edition Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich.
The dish was filled with fruit and light whipped cream cheese on fluffy sweetened bread. It was inspired by Japanese ‘sweet sandos’, also known as fruit sandwiches.
The east Asian nation’s fruit sandwiches originated as fruit shops opened near major train stations and business districts in the early 1900s.
As these businesses grew, many began to open cafes to allow the public to access luxury fruits at a reasonable by incorporating them into dishes such as parfaits, shortcakes and sandwiches.
M&S said that while its latest creation may be mistaken for a dessert, shoppers will find it in the regular savoury sandwich section.
One person rated it ‘100000/10’ and said it was the ‘best sandwich ever’ while commenting on M&S’ Instagram account.
Another said: ‘I have tried this already and it is berry berry good.’
A third penned: ‘Where are my car keys!!!! I need to get this NOW.’
A fourth commented: ‘I might have to treat myself to one on the way to work tomorrow,’ while another compared it to ‘cake on the go’.
M&S said: ‘Inspired by the Japanese sweet sandos, recently spotted popping up in London‘s trendiest Japanese patisseries, our product developers have long dreamed of creating a dessert sandwich.
‘With our exclusive Red Diamond Strawberries at their juiciest best, the time has finally come to create the ultimate strawberries and creme experience.’
M&S is saying its strawberries and cream sandwich is ideal for ‘alfresco lunches, afternoon tea at home, summer picnics, courtside snack breaks or a sweet afternoon pick me up’.
M&S Food first sold freshly made sandwiches in the 1920s, and expanded sales with pre-packed sandwiches in the 1980s.
The retailer’s food halls have sold four billion sandwiches to date.
Strawberries and cream are a popular British dessert often enjoyed in the summer months when the fruit is in season in the UK.
The combination is thought to date back to the Tudor era, where dishes of strawberries and cream would be served at Henry VIII’s royal banquets.
It has also been made popular after being served at Wimbledon every year and is a popular snack with spectators.
Earlier this summer, Wimbledon raised the price of their world famous strawberries and cream for the first time in 15 years.
The All England Club previously took great pride in freezing the price of strawberries at £2.50 per portion since 2010, but Mail Sport revealed that it was to increase by 20p for 2025.
A spokesperson for the All England Club commented, ‘We have taken the decision to slightly increase the price of strawberries this year from £2.50 to £2.70.
‘We feel this modest increase still ensures that our world-famous strawberries are available at a very reasonable price.’
With tournament running costs increasing every year, the price hike shows even Wimbledon is not immune to the cost of living crisis.
The club sell around 140,000 punnets per year, meaning the new price will bring in an extra £28,000.
At £2.70 the event’s iconic snack is easily the best value food on site. Wimbledon is also one of the very few sporting events which allows fans to bring in their own food and drink – including alcohol – so visitors on a budget can always bring in their own strawberries.
They would not be as fresh as those served up at Wimbledon, however, who only serve strawberries picked that morning and shipped in from the family-run Hugh Lowe Farm in Kent.
