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Whether you think it's terrible, or just "ok" (don't think anyone is arguing that it's better than that?), I think the original question still stands: how has a national chain of shops selling nothing but "ok" (at best) chocolate, stayed open?
Net income in its annual report of 2016 was reported at a loss of - £30.8 million with a drop in staff and number of shops across the UK
I have the same question about Lush cosmetics.....
I'm quite partial to some of Aldi's choccy.
I think the original question still stands: how has a national chain of shops selling nothing but "ok" (at best) chocolate, stayed open?
Because it’s OK, like virtually every other item for sale on the high street. Why not ask: how has H&M stayed open selling nothing but OK clothes? The answer is the same: because ‘OK’ is what enough people either find acceptable or don’t know better than.
As I said: stick to the Thornton's toffee, which is lovely.
Ferrero Rocher..now that is real crap
Ferrero? You mean the people who own Thornton's?
I think the name has a lot to do with it. Old clueless types still think it's a quality brand, because it sounds like a name they can trust.
Old clueless types still think it's a quality brand, because it sounds like a name they can trust.
Bit harsh. We can't all be edgy chocolatiers.
You lot any idea how snobby you sound?
other cultures actually take pride in the quality of the food they eat. This is not a normal position to take in the UK. Eating good quality food with good quality ingredients takes a lot of time, and money, in the UK.
Thornton’s is shit has been for awhile but yes I will eat it. Their toffee is very good though.
But then again I don’t even have a microwave so I have to style.
I would say the original Thorntons stuff is pretty good.
All the new different selection boxes are a bit crap though.
@ScottChegg..now I hadn't realised that until you said ..but if standards have dropped to that level ..no wonder folks are complaining ( I wouldn't know ).
I also hadn't realised that amongst other brands they own Tic Tacs, Kinder & Nutella ..
Lidl chocolate is great. Very partial to their fruit and nut milk. Good plain too.
Meh. I can still eat a chocolate orange even after they changed the formula.
other cultures actually take pride in the quality of the food they eat. This is not a normal position to take in the UK.
Being a snob isn't about eating good stuff or buying good stuff or whatever.
It's about loudly proclaiming how awful the other stuff and insinuating that the people who buy it are awful or ignorant, and that you're better.
And there is far more good food available and being eaten in the UK than in many other countries I've been to.
I love chocolate, however I get a migraine just from looking longingly at some, so screw the lot of you.
Cadburys is god awful as well. Except the Irish stuff, they still make it on licence to the original recipe, Home Bargains and such sell it as grey import and the difference is night and day.
Hmm, didn't know that. I will have to investigate, next time I'm passing that shop. Any evidence of palm oil as an ingredient and I'm out. 😉
This is good enough for me..
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And there is far more good food available and being eaten in the UK than in many other countries I've been to.
There is, some of it is good value, unfortunately some of it is expensive compared to other alternatives, however we are accustomed to cheap and rubbish food being readily available.
Food used to be a significant portion of people's income and has fallen in cost (real term) over the last 20 years. We also have less time to cook and prepare or just can't be bothered.
(I'm not one of those people but from what i see at the supermarket checkout a significant proportion of the population are)
unfortunately some of it is expensive compared to other alternatives, however we are accustomed to cheap and rubbish food being readily available.
Not necessarily such a bad thing. At least people who are really poor can afford food. Anecdotally food in the Mid-western US is significantly more expensive and generally worse.
Three_Fish - Member
I think the original question still stands: how has a national chain of shops selling nothing but "ok" (at best) chocolate, stayed open?
Because it’s OK, like virtually every other item for sale on the high street. Why not ask: how has H&M stayed open selling nothing but OK clothes? The answer is the same: because ‘OK’ is what enough people either find acceptable or don’t know better than.
Egh? That analogy isn't even remotely close - they are completely different. "No reason for HMV to go out of business, I mean, look at Starbucks - they're doing fantastically well" 🙄
Also, did you read this bit:
Net income in its annual report of 2016 was reported at a loss of - £30.8 million with a drop in staff and number of shops across the UK
So the answer to the question "how can they survive?" is (spoiler alert) "they can't" - at least not with their current model.
Logical move is to give up all but their most profitable shops, and enter into a partnership with an existing retailer(s)..... probably not H&M though
Thornton's for me is the same as Vienetta in that when I was a kid I genuinely thought it was really posh and classy but realised as an adult that it was total junk.
Not a massive chocolate fan, but if I get my paws on Läderach then I can hardly stop till it is gone.
That analogy isn't even remotely close
Because it’s not an analogy; it’s a comparison of the standard/quality of produce that allows much of the high street to be profitable, which, current tribulations aside, Thornton’s have been for decades. I could have used Starbucks or any other retailer that one associates with high street or retail park trading. They survive, and often thrive, because they are ‘OK’, not because they’re exceptional or luxurious or tailor-made. They’re OK and pretty much anyone can afford them.
Thornton’s is cheap is it ? Certainly wasn’t when I last went in.
Personally I don’t rate Hotel Chocolate or whatever poncey name they give themselves for selling overly sweet overly expensive crap
Much more partial to Holdsworth chocolates.
Oh and Lindt Milk Chocolate, it should be wrong but I love it!
STW at it's best 🙂
Pick a pretentious name brand that no-one knows, made by Augustine Monks and sweated out by Arabian goats, then tell everyone they eat only that...
Superiority at it's best this place 🙂
Thornton’s is cheap is it?
It is, relatively; yes.
Personally I don’t rate Hotel Chocolate or whatever poncey name they give themselves for selling overly sweet overly expensive crap
THe dark choc is nice I tend to get a the 70 squid ostrich EASTER egg after EASTER when it’s half price.
Couldn’t pay full and tbh hard to stomach half.
I Think Thornton's position is appearing to be expensive but not so much that you cant afford it and it’s primarily for gifting anyway.
I was gifted some of this from the continent and boy did it hit the spot! Absolutely spot on, top notch stuff
[url= https://www.sterk.amsterdam/lindt-creation-moelleux-au-chocolat.html ]https://www.sterk.amsterdam/lindt-creation-moelleux-au-chocolat.html[/url]
Three_Fish - Member
That analogy isn't even remotely close
Because it’s not an analogy; it’s a comparison of the standard/quality of produce that allows much of the high street to be profitable, which, current tribulations aside, Thornton’s have been for decades. I could have used Starbucks or any other retailer that one associates with high street or retail park trading. They survive, and often thrive, because they are ‘OK’, not because they’re exceptional or luxurious or tailor-made. They’re OK and pretty much anyone can afford them.
Analogy:
a comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification
Pedantry aside (you started it), I'm not disagreeing with you - I agree that it's possible for a high street retailer to survive, even if their product is inferior/mediocre/poor value. But there is a lot more to consider than just that - they survive DESPITE being just OK (not because of it), as their business model has other mitigating factors.
People are literally writing papers on what Thornton's did wrong and became a failing company, just at the time that Hotel Chocolat were showing everyone how to be sucessful in that space. From one such article:
Thornton’s is a classic case of a company failing to evolve, losing touch with its customer base and being overtaken by its competitors as a consequence.
H&M would be a textbook example of the exact opposite behavior of Thorntons - they have an extremely strong brand, their clothes are priced very competitively, they spend a lot of money keeping their designs up-to date (even driving the market) and they deliver very good value for money for the average high-street shopper. Obviously their tshirt isn't comparable to the quality of one 3x the price, but that's not their market.
Having a high street presence can only mitigate so far, and presents downsides as well. Thorntons are selling a relatively low value product of questionable quality and value-for-money vs it's competitors, who's products are for sale on literally every street corner, but without the costs associated with running their own shops. They are being squeezed by the supermarket at one end of their demographic, and "luxury" chocolate brands at the other - which are also available at the supermarket.
They tried to respond by stacking-high and selling-cheap, giving deep discounts after seasonal rushes, but that only drove the perceived value of their product down and made things worse.
A friend of ours had quite a senior international role at Ferrero Rocher, kept going on about the heritage, quality and their 'premium products'.
Had the rug pulled from under his feet when 'another' said "any confectionery delivered to the sales floor on a pallet is not a premium product" 😆
Mmmmm, Ferrero Rocher.
Have eaten my way through 40 of those chocolety nutty crunchy balls over this past month.
They must be good, sure they used to feed them to ambassadors...
Wife says no palm oil in Irish Cadburys.
Lindt dark chocolate with salt for me please....
Not keen on the Aldi dark chocolate but their milk chocolate with hazelnuts is rather tasty (and I don't normally like milk).
"STW at it’s best 🙂
Pick a pretentious name brand that no-one knows, made by Augustine Monks and sweated out by Arabian goats, then tell everyone they eat only that…
Superiority at it’s best this place 🙂" (where's the quotey button gone?)
Great innit? I can't believe no-one knows how Thorntons are still in business ( & by the queue outside the door of the Harrogate branch before crimbo they seem to be doing ok)
Hotel Chocolat? Rip off merchants of the highest order.