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M&S Defends £4–£4.50 Two‑Slice ‘Pan de Cristal’ as Sales Pass 75,000

The retailer says the Catalan-style loaf is a restaurant-quality import that has sold 75,000 packs since its summer launch.

Overview

  • The product consists of two long slices sold refrigerated for home finishing, priced at £4 to £4.50 per pack depending on store.
  • M&S promotes a crushed‑tomato topper costing about £2.50–£2.75, taking the suggested serving to roughly £7 or more.
  • Company statements position the bread as a tapas starter within a broad pricing range that still includes 75p value loaves and an 80p half‑baguette, with weekly summer sales reported at more than 5,000 packs.
  • Shoppers and campaigners question the value, citing far cheaper Spanish retail options such as Mercadona’s glass‑bread rolls at €1.30 for four and urging M&S to justify the premium.
  • Baking experts note the style’s very high hydration makes it hard to mechanise and M&S says its version is made in Spain by traditional bakers, as media taste tests this week offered mixed verdicts on quality versus price.