Shoppers have been left stunned after learning that Marks & Spencer does not actually make its own Percy Pig sweets. The revelation came after Irish record freediver Megan Lyons shared a video on Instagram showing a packet of Katja Peggetjes, a product that looks strikingly similar to Percy Pig. In the video, she tells followers that she Googled the brand and discovered that Katja is the Percy Pig maker, with M&S simply selling the candy under its own brand. She says: “So M&S don’t make Percy Pigs; it’s never been them. What?!”
Viral Video Sparks Shock
The video has been watched more than 141,000 times and has drawn thousands of likes and dozens of comments, with many viewers expressing surprise. One commenter wrote: “What!!!??? We have been had!!!!” while another said: “You really do learn something new every day.” A third commented: “My mind is so blown, I’m going back to bed and [will] start again tomorrow with less trauma.”
Despite the shock, the information is not new. M&S has been working in partnership with German confectionery brand Katjes, known as Katja in the Netherlands, to create the sweets for decades. The sweets are made in Germany under licence by Katjes International, and the back of a Percy Pig packet states under the barcode that they are “made in Germany”.
Brand and Recipe Details
While Katjes produces the sweets, M&S created and has trademarked the Percy Pig brand and character. An M&S spokesperson told Metro: “Made exclusively for M&S to our own unique recipe and quality standards at a specialist confectionery manufacturer, Percy Pig has a distinctive taste, texture, and quality our customers love and expect.”
Katjes, a rival to Haribo, also makes its own pig-shaped candy known as Fred Ferkel, which features a foamy, marshmallow-like base with fruity gummy ears. These sweets are sold across Europe but are not available in the UK, where Percy Pig is sold instead. In the Netherlands, the brand sells a similar product called Biggetjes, the Dutch word for piglet. Katjes also produces Candy Kittens, another sweet brand sold in the UK.
Percy Pig first appeared in M&S stores in 1992 and has become a firm favourite in the Foodhall. M&S sells roughly 36 packets per minute and more than 18 million bags each year. The character has appeared in Christmas adverts, has its own social media account, and features on clothing and home decor.
