M&S shoppers are rushing to buy ‘dangerously good’ new cookies – but a huge change has divided customers
M&S’ new in-store biscuits have gone down a treat with customers – except for one big change that has left them disappointed.
The newly revamped snacks – which come in different flavours including triple, milk and white chocolate – went viral after M&S “upgraded” them to make them even more moreish.
At the end of November, the store also launched a Christmas-themed version, Gingerbread and White Chocolate, which earned particularly rave reviews.
One fan said on X: “Those Marks and Spencer ginger and white chocolate cookies live up to the hype. Very dangerous.”
Another added: “Please keep the white choc & gingerbread cookies beyond Christmas. I need them all year!”
But while the taste has been praised as “amazing”, shoppers are unhappy the treats now come wrapped in plastic rather than paper packaging.
The film bags can only be recycled by taking them to supermarkets, meaning they are less likely to be reused compared to the old paper wrappers.
Commenting on Facebook, one fan said: “Why are the bakery cookies now packed in a plastic bag rather than paper?! Backwards move. Not part of Plan A surely?”
Another added: “I hope they haven’t changed the paper bags to cellophane, as if they have I won’t be buying them.”
Meanwhile, on X, another fumed: “Why have you gone from paper bags for cookies to plastic? Thought you had a focus on sustainability?!?”
M&S responded by saying: “The issue of plastic is really important to us and our priority is to reduce our use of it and help our customers to reuse and recycle.
“There’s always room for improvement though, and I’ve passed your feedback on to our team so they can take this on board.”
The retailer, which has previously been criticised for using too much plastic packaging, has heavily publicised its environmental goals.
It wants to remove 1billion units of plastic by 2027, which would be a 30 per cent reduction in the volume of plastic food packaging.
As part of its campaign, the store is removing polystyrene from its pizza bases, all black plastic food food and switched its teacake packaging to paper.
Sun Online has approached M&S for a comment.
My M&S Xmas highlights
The Sun’s consumer editor Lynsey Barber got an early taste of Marks and Spencer’s Christmas food line up which includes 450 new items.
Here are the highlights.
White Mulled Wine, £6, 11% – 5/10
An interesting twist, but I prefer my white wine cool and crisp, so not for me.
Turkey Feast dip, TBC, – 10/10
A mouthful of Christmas, top of my shopping list and I’ll be eating it all winter.
Turkey Feast lasagne, £10 750g – 8/10
Rich and festive, another dish that is spot on with the essential flavours of Christmas, but I’d need a small portion as it’s very creamy.
Hot Honey Brie Brulee £7, 288g – 8/10
A cheesy dream, with extra zing from the hot honey and a bit of crunch, a great combo of flavours and a winter warmer.
Halloumi in Blankets with Hot Honey, £5.50, 240g – 10/10
A surprise hit with soft and creamy centres. Possibly better than the originals.
Back in April 2023, the posh shop rolled out new paper-based packaging on its rice, grains and pulses range.
Over 30 products now come in the paper-based bag including Basmati rice, Couscous and Red Lentils.
Whereas four items in its Collection range were changed to paper boxes.
These are Thai Hom Mali Jasmine Rice, Aged Basmati Rice, Spanish Bomba Paella Rice and Italian Carnaroli Risotto Rice.
Both forms of the new packaging can be recycled at home in your paper bin – before if shoppers wanted to recycle these products they’d have to head back into stores.
In September of that same year, M&S also announced it was phasing out plastic bags for life and introducing new 40p paper versions across all its food halls.
M&S said the bags can hold up to 15kg and have been coated in a resin, making them water-resistant.
As of this past Autumn, all of M&S’ single and twin garlic baguettes are now available in FSC approved paper packaging, which it said can easily be recycled as paper at home.
It has also expanded its Beauty Takeback Scheme to an additional 60 stores, bringing the total to 100.
Boxes where customers can recycle beauty product packaging are now available in locations including Birmingham, Cardiff and Inverness, which the retailer said will make the scheme more accessible to more customers across the UK.
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