Tesco has introduced new sandwich meal kits under its Finest range, but customer reactions are decidedly mixed. The kits, priced at £3.75 each (or £3 with a Tesco Clubcard), contain ingredients to assemble three different sandwiches: Salt Beef Brisket and Emmental, Chicken and Bacon Caesar, and Wiltshire Cured Ham & Barber's Mature Cheddar.
What's Inside the Kits?
The Salt Beef Brisket and Emmental pack includes salt beef brisket, Emmental cheese, sweet gherkin relish, and American-style mustard. The Chicken and Bacon Caesar kit features British chicken breast slices, beechwood smoked bacon, Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, and a Caesar dressing. The Wiltshire Cured Ham & Barber's Mature Cheddar option comes with wood smoked ham, Barber's mature cheddar, red onion chutney, and a Dijon mustard dressing.
Social Media Reaction
The kits were shared on social media, where they've been met with scepticism—primarily because they do not include bread. One shopper questioned: "So you can pay £3 for this and have to pay for the bread or get a meal deal for same price." Another countered: "Do you think you can get all the ingredients for one of these sandwiches, a drink and some sort of snack for £3?" A third commenter praised the kits: "OMG These look amazing, in a baguette with a cold drink." However, a fourth critic remarked: "Is this not like buying a kit car with no engine. Surely the thing that makes a sandwich, a sandwich is the bread which is what is missing from this sandwich kit."
QR Codes Replace Barcodes on Sausages
This launch follows Tesco's announcement that it has replaced barcodes with QR codes on an entire range of its own-label products. The change affects 13 lines of Tesco’s own-brand sausages, including Tesco Pork Sausages, Tesco Pork Chipolatas, Tesco British Pork Sausage Meat, British Cumberland Sausages, and British Lincolnshire Sausages. QR codes can store more information than barcodes, such as recipes, nutritional content, allergen information, and recycling guidance. They also offer the convenience of being scannable from any angle with a smartphone.
Industry Shift Towards QR Codes
The supermarket began trialling the new codes last year on some fresh produce. This move is part of a broader industry shift led by GS1, the global body responsible for barcode standards. Tesco stated that adopting QR codes will provide better product information in stores, helping to order more accurately and reduce waste. Additionally, QR codes allow retailers to identify specific batches during recalls, rather than removing all items.
