Latest news with #Gallic
South Wales Guardian
10 hours ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Asda giant croissant as Brits get through 1,771 in a lifetime
A poll of 2,000 adults found they treat themselves to two of the flaky pastries each month. But three in 10 don't think they should cost more than £1, even though some high street bakeries are selling them for as much as £2.80. In response, Asda has commissioned an oversized croissant - in a playful jab at other high street bakery chains. It has launched a one-off version that is five times bigger than standard - to echo the difference in price between the baked goods at different retailers. With the supermarket's single serve in-store bakery snack priced at only 53p as opposed to closer to £3 for a similar product at some outlets. A spokesperson from Asda said: "We had so much fun creating this giant croissant. "We want to make sure the tasty French snack is accessible to all and will now be selling single-serve croissants in our new bakery counter for five times less than some other bakery chains. "The price of such a simple item has risen considerably in recent years, and so we wanted to raise awareness off this using non-other than a giant version.' It comes after the research found 37 per cent like to buy theirs from the supermarket, either pre-packaged, or from the bakery counter. And 17 per cent believe they'd struggle to tell apart a supermarket made one, from a handmade artisanal effort. Furthermore, 56 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, consider it important that a croissant is authentically French, crafted using Gallic techniques and ingredients. The spokesperson for Asda added: 'There's something undeniably comforting about a croissant - that perfect balance of crisp, flaky pastry and soft, buttery layers inside. 'Over the years, croissants have gone from being a continental treat to a firm favourite in British households and cafés, and it's easy to see why. 'They bring a touch of indulgence to even the simplest of mornings. 'In the UK, we've wholeheartedly embraced the croissant – not just as a breakfast staple, but as a versatile snack throughout the day. 'But the prices have gone sky high in a number of our high street chains. We believe customers should be paying a fair price.'
South Wales Argus
11 hours ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Asda giant croissant as Brits get through 1,771 in a lifetime
A poll of 2,000 adults found they treat themselves to two of the flaky pastries each month. But three in 10 don't think they should cost more than £1, even though some high street bakeries are selling them for as much as £2.80. In response, Asda has commissioned an oversized croissant - in a playful jab at other high street bakery chains. It has launched a one-off version that is five times bigger than standard - to echo the difference in price between the baked goods at different retailers. With the supermarket's single serve in-store bakery snack priced at only 53p as opposed to closer to £3 for a similar product at some outlets. A spokesperson from Asda said: "We had so much fun creating this giant croissant. "We want to make sure the tasty French snack is accessible to all and will now be selling single-serve croissants in our new bakery counter for five times less than some other bakery chains. "The price of such a simple item has risen considerably in recent years, and so we wanted to raise awareness off this using non-other than a giant version.' It comes after the research found 37 per cent like to buy theirs from the supermarket, either pre-packaged, or from the bakery counter. And 17 per cent believe they'd struggle to tell apart a supermarket made one, from a handmade artisanal effort. Furthermore, 56 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, consider it important that a croissant is authentically French, crafted using Gallic techniques and ingredients. The spokesperson for Asda added: 'There's something undeniably comforting about a croissant - that perfect balance of crisp, flaky pastry and soft, buttery layers inside. 'Over the years, croissants have gone from being a continental treat to a firm favourite in British households and cafés, and it's easy to see why. 'They bring a touch of indulgence to even the simplest of mornings. 'In the UK, we've wholeheartedly embraced the croissant – not just as a breakfast staple, but as a versatile snack throughout the day. 'But the prices have gone sky high in a number of our high street chains. We believe customers should be paying a fair price.'
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Exact number of croissants Brits will eat in a lifetime as price row erupts
A study of 2,000 adults found they treat themselves to two of the flaky pastries each month A survey of 2,000 adults has revealed that most adults indulge in the buttery pastries each month, at least twice a month. The study suggests that this equates to Brits consuming a staggering 1,771 croissants over their lifetime. However, despite their fondness for the pastry, three out of 10 believe they shouldn't cost more than £1. Currently, some high street bakeries are charging as much as £2.80 for a single croissant. In a cheeky response, Asda has commissioned an oversized croissant, five times larger than the standard size, to highlight the price disparity between different retailers. The supermarket's own single serve bakery snack is priced at a mere 53p, compared to £3 for a similar product at other outlets. An Asda spokesperson shared: "We had so much fun creating this giant croissant." "We want to make sure the tasty French snack is accessible to all and will now be selling single-serve croissants in our new bakery counter for five times less than some other bakery chains," they added. "The price of such a simple item has risen considerably in recent years, and so we wanted to raise awareness off this using non-other than a giant version." It comes after research revealed that 37 per cent prefer to purchase their croissants from the supermarket, either pre-packaged or from the bakery counter. Additionally, 17 per cent believe they would struggle to distinguish between a supermarket-made croissant and a handmade artisanal one. Over half said it was crucial that a croissant is authentically French, crafted using traditional Gallic techniques and ingredients. The Asda spokesperson added: "There's something undeniably comforting about a croissant - that perfect balance of crisp, flaky pastry and soft, buttery layers inside. "Over the years, croissants have transitioned from being a continental treat to a firm favourite in British households and cafés, and it's easy to see why. They bring a touch of indulgence to even the simplest of mornings. "In the UK, we've wholeheartedly embraced the croissant, not just as a breakfast staple, but as a versatile snack throughout the day. "But the prices have gone sky high in a number of our high street chains. We believe customers should be paying a fair price."
Spectator
4 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Is France succumbing to the British disease?
Sometimes one can almost get away from today's worries. I spent the other weekend at a big family get-together in a village overlooking a famous cathedral city – the great church was visible on the horizon. There were people from all walks of life, all ages, and from many parts of the country. People smiled at strangers. The sun shone. And yet a familiar gloom kept breaking through in conversation. Nothing was working. It was almost impossible to get a GP appointment, so A&E departments were overwhelmed and people even died on trolleys. Accommodation, especially for the young, was non-existent or too expensive, as rents and house prices rocketed. Infrastructure was worn out. Crime was out of control, with the police seeming unable or unwilling to get a grip. Underlying much of this was foreboding about the long-term effects of mass immigration. And to crown it all, there was a deep disillusion with politicians. Perhaps Britain's worst problems have been imposed on the country by an arrogant and incompetent official and political elite. France's worst problems have been imposed on a relatively competent and patriotic official elite by (let's be frank) a short-sighted and selfish electorate Readers may find this depressingly familiar. The only difference is that the hillsides were covered not with grazing sheep but with vines, and the distant cathedral was Rheims. The Telegraph recently reported that a French university runs a popular course on Britain's political failures – undeniably a rich vein. But, as many of its readers have commented, France is in no better state. One could give a Gallic shrug and say that of course western Europe has the same fundamental problems: an aging population, economic stagnation aggravated by mishandling of the Covid pandemic, unprecedented flows of migration, an unsustainable welfare system, and a political class bereft of credible solutions. Yet there are differences. I got a few moments of masochistic satisfaction in explaining the Chagos Islands affair, and having to repeat the story as blank incomprehension spread across French faces. 'Mais pourquoi? Ce n'est pas raisonnable!' It would be literally impossible for this 'deal' to happen in France. French politicians and the French official class are rarely crippled by ancestral guilt and a compulsion to be nice to foreigners – as the British have learned to their cost. They do not renounce their own history. They do not cover monuments and statues with apologies for slavery. They are trained to put French interests first, unquestioningly. They see France as unique, its influence positive and its voice worthy of being heard. So as we give away the Chagos Islands, the French, hosting the UN Ocean Conference, boast that their tenacious possession of Pacific islands gives them the world's second largest maritime domain. As a young French official once said to me, 'We admire Britain's altruism. Of course, we would not emulate it.' The higher echelons of French officialdom are better motivated and better trained than ours. Many have scientific qualifications. No French Chagos, and no French HS2 either. True, the French designs for Hinkley Point and Sizewell are late and over budget, but then it was British civil servants who went for an untried design and Britain's planning system that hampers progress. The French developed their domestic nuclear industry while we were blithely abandoning ours. And yet France has broadly the same problems as Britain, and many French people blame its mandarin class for being brainy but impractical and out of touch. President Macron, keen to follow the crowd when he can, abolished the meritocratic École Nationale d'Administration, cradle of France's rulers. Or rather (and this is typically French) he tweaked it and changed its name. Et voila! Nevertheless, France's rulers have some positives to their credit, all of which can be ascribed to their hard-headed prioritisation of national interest. They kept out of the Iraq invasion. They made only a token contribution to the Afghan intervention. They are not pursuing a ruinous energy policy. And overall, they have not done a bad job in bending the EU to France's interests over the last half century. But perhaps parts of France are catching the British disease. The other seedbed of France's elite, the Institut d'Études Politiques (the famous Sciences-Po) has reportedly fallen into the hands of the woke. I used to think that academic freedom was protected in France because French professors were civil servants and hence untouchable, and French universities were run by officials appointed by the Ministry. But now, several reputable academics working in controversial fields have been silenced or are under police protection, and one of them has actually been criticised by the head of his university, Lyon, for being 'damaging to the university'. Is it the case, as so often, that France is following trans-Atlantic fashions ten years late? At least the French police seem to be guarding those who speak out, not harassing them for 'non-crime hate incidents'. And, though it took some time, the school where a history and politics teacher, Samuel Paty, was beheaded in 2020 by an Islamist refugee has been renamed in his honour. I think it safe to say that we shall be waiting some time for an equivalent gesture at Batley Grammar School. May I suggest a rough and ready hypothesis? Britain's worst problems have been imposed on the country against the will of most of its people by an arrogant and incompetent official and political elite. France's worst problems have been imposed on a relatively competent and patriotic official elite by (let's be frank) a short-sighted and selfish electorate. Every Frenchman, the old joke runs, has his heart on the left and his wallet on the right. Although Emmanuel Macron is in many respects an ongoing disaster, he was right to want to mitigate France's dangerously spiralling public debt by modestly raising the age of retirement. This has been agreed in Britain without controversy. In France it has caused political meltdown and a paralysed government. Though some of us might wish the Starmer government to be similarly paralysed, France's political cul-de-sac is only delaying a crisis. Though France and Britain are in many ways very different countries, they have at least one feature in common: rising public anger and unprecedented disaffection from politics and politicians.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Starmer's latest freebie: British sovereignty in exchange for nothing
While we can't rely on the French to help police the Channel – despite paying them £500 million for the privilege, we can always trust our Gallic cousins to bear a grudge. We already knew that the Prime Minister's great EU 'reset' was a sham; that much was clear when all we got in return was the use of e-gates that were already operational in many European countries. Now, we learn that we may not even be granted access to the bloc's industrial defence programme, despite Sir Keir Starmer's insistence that defence and security was a central tenet of the deal. As he boasted last month after selling us out to Brussels: 'We've also struck a new defence and security partnership to strengthen our cooperation and strengthen our security – which is vital in this dangerous new era. 'And it will open the door to working with the EU's new defence fund – providing new opportunities for our defence industry, supporting British jobs and livelihoods.' Except, of course, the French have other ideas. In yet another example of just how bad Labour is at negotiating anything (see also the Chagos surrender and, more recently, the 'deal' to allow Spanish border guards to check passports on Gibraltar) we now learn that Emmanuel Macron is trying to shut out British arms firms from the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). While different to the defence fund, which is known as SAFE (Security Action for Europe), EDIP will see cash pumped into joint procurement projects and the production of weapons, ammunition and other military hardware. It was created for the benefit of the EU and 'allies' but French diplomats have insisted the tool should be solely used to boost firms based inside the EU, as well as Norway and Ukraine – shutting out the UK. So much for Starmer's boast that the reset deal would put Britain 'back on the world stage' and give us 'unprecedented access to the EU market, the best of any country.' Labour is yet to reveal how many billions is being squandered on a reset that has already prompted another big fat 'non' from Paris. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
