McVitie’s has quietlyjust launched a brand-new “twist” on one of the most classic British biscuits of all time.
And shoppers have been pretty shocked by the news.
Given that new product launches tend to be something that shops, companies , and food manufacturers shout about from the rooftops whenever they get the chance to, you can probably understand why Tesco customers have been left so shocked after spotting what is a seemingly brand-new biscuit on shop shelves.
In the absence of what appears to be any prior reference or teasing of the product at all, McVitie’s has just dropped a new cocoa-flavoured variation on the humble Rich Tea biscuit, and they can only be found in Tesco.
People have been taking to social media to share their sightings of the new choccy biccie at their local stores this week – including popular UK food-spotting accounts like @newfoodsuk and @newfoodfindsuk.
Images: The Manc Group
At this point, it’s quite tricky to give you much more information on the new chocolate treat, other than the fact it… exists.
That’s because a quick Google search for the biscuit’s apparent name, ‘McVitie’s Rich Tea: The Cocoa One’, provides next to nothing on what the product is all about, and it doesn’t seem to be listed on Tesco’s website yet either, which probably means you can only get your hands on them if you actually shop in store.
Just from the pictures and videos shared by shoppers online though, what we do know is that the new product must be distinguished from the already-existing popular milk chocolate-coated Rich Teas – which have been a mainstay on UK shop shelves for several years now – as there’s no actual chocolate layer on these ones.
Instead, the biscuit itself is cocoa-flavoured, so it’s basically everything you know and love about the Rich Tea, only chocolate-ier (if that’s a word).
“A cocoa twist on the classic” is how McVitie’s have described it on the branding.
We can also see that, as mentioned, the new biscuits are exclusive to Tesco at the moment, where a pack will set you back £1.25 each with a Clubcard or £1.80 without.
We bet they’ll be rolled out in other supermarkets and shops sometime in the near future though, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
As of the end of March we won't be able to get our Percy Pig fix on Wellington Street any longer.
Whether you're popping in for a Dine in for Two Meal Deal or an iconic Colin the Caterpillar cake, there's no denying that we all love a cheeky trip to M&S.
After all, it's not just food...it's M&S food.
But unfortunately for us, one Marks & Spencer food hall in the city centre is closing its doors for good at the end of this month.
The one in question is on Wellington Street, just round the corner from the train station and nearby the Wellington Place development.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Signs have gone up on the windows announcing its closure, stating it will be closing on Saturday 22 March 2025.
Now the only two remaining stores are the train station location and the superstore on Briggate.
We here at The Hoot shared the sad news via Instagram and were met with mixed responses.
Comments said: "This is an odd move to make, I use that store a lot. We have a massive residential population now in the West End, including myself and we'll be left with just two supermarkets to serve the whole district, Tesco and Sainsburys."
"Like most of these developments they can’t predict the footfall, just like down at Leeds dock, it’s a ghost town because people go into the centre. Oh and if you want a big shop, you’ll take your car to either crown point or whiterose to put your shopping in."
"I love this store ! I use it all the time . Also get my clothes collections from there - I hate going to the big one in town and the station one is not great . I will really miss it @marksandspencerfood please rethink !"
So if you're after a final browse around the food hall, you've only got a few more weeks to do so.
Tesco is set to trial personalised Clubcard prices giving shoppers even cheaper offers
Emily Sergeant
Tesco is trialling personalised Clubcard offers which give customers tailored prices based on their purchases.
The supermarket ‘s Clubcard loyalty scheme has more than 20 million people signed-up nationwide, making it one of the most popular of its kind on the market, by far – but over the coming weeks, prices could begin to get cheaper for some than they already are as part of the new ‘Your Clubcard Prices’ scheme being trialled.
The scheme, which is being launched nationwide to a select group of people, will see shoppers sent new personalised offers every Wednesday, on top of all other existing deals.
These will be sent via the Tesco Clubcard app, and added automatically at the checkout.
Images: The Manc Group
At this moment in time, it’s believed to be unclear how many people are a part of the trial, and also how long the trial will last for.
What we do know, however, is that customers will be able to use their personalised offers multiple times for a total of seven days in larger Tesco stores, but at present, they unfortunately can’t be used in Express locations.
“We are constantly looking for ways to make Clubcard work harder for our customers,” a Tesco spokesperson explained.
“We are currently offering Your Clubcard Prices to a trial group of our Clubcard members, giving them offers on products they regularly buy at Tesco, in addition to the thousands of Clubcard Prices available to all Clubcard members each week.”
The news that Tesco is trialling personalised Clubcard offers comes after the retailer was advised by leading consumer watchdog, Which?, last February to make prices clearer for customers.
It also comes after the UK’s cheapest supermarket of 2024 has was revealed.
Emily Sergeant -
20th June 2024 
