Latest news with #PercyPigs
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
American tries Percy Pig for first time but makes 'crucial mistake'
Percy Pigs are a beloved British sweet produced by Marks & Spencer, and an American visiting the UK decided to try them among other popular British snacks – but made one 'big mistake' An American tried Percy Pigs for the first time, but made one 'crucial mistake.' The UK boasts several iconic savoury and sweet snacks, including Percy Pig. The beloved pig-shaped gummy treat has been a popular confectionary in the UK for many years, enjoyed by both adults and children. Created by Marks & Spencer (M&S), it has become a favourite for many British people – so much so that visitors to the country will often seek them out. Kevin Escalera, based in Miami, Florida, is a food and travel vlogger who tries popular snacks when visiting different countries. Known as Snack Eating Snacks online, he recently shared a video on TikTok sampling a range of British snacks from crisps to chocolates to sweet treats, like Percy Pig, while visiting the UK. Kevin said: 'We [have] got the Percy the pig fizzy gummies and these are supposedly super popular here. Everyone told me I had to try them.' Taking a bite, he remarked: 'Mmmm, they have a great chew to them, a little sour. These are fantastic gummies and I'm a gummy connoisseur.' Kevin tried the M&S Percy Pig phizzy pigtails, but many TikTok users in the comment section of his post said these are the 'wrong' version of the sweet. One user simply stated: 'Wrong percy pigs.' Another added: 'Should have got the original Percy pigs and not the fizzy tails. Original Percy pigs are an elite sweet.' A third exclaimed: 'No not those Percy's! You needed the classic.' A fourth chimed in: 'No one goes to M&S and buys those Percy pigs.' The original M&S Percy Pig sweets are shaped like smiling pig faces and have a distinctive fruity, sweet taste and chewy texture. They offer a blend of raspberry, grape, elderberry, blackcurrant and mandarin flavours. Percy Pig was launched in stores in 1992 and has since become a cultural phenomenon. Since 2019, the recipe has been changed to remove gelatin, making the sweets suitable for vegetarians. In 2022, beeswax was removed from the ingredients list, so they can now be enjoyed by vegans as well. Percy Pig has become a huge brand with 124,000 followers on Instagram and a notable presence on TikTok. Fans have even been inspired to create their own Percy Pig themed bakes as well as Percy-inspired accessories. In 2024, Percy Pig collaborated with Dr Paw Paw to launch a vegan lip oil formula and a signature Percy scent. The brand has also launched a pink nail polish duo set which dries down to release its exclusive scent. In addition to Percy Pig, Kevin also tried Walkers Monster Munch crisps, prawn cocktail crisps, Tunnock's Milk Chocolate Tea Cakes, Jammie Dodgers and a Cadbury Double Decker chocolate bar. He compared the tea cakes to a mallow bar in the US but was confused about why they're called tea cakes and wondered if you're actually supposed to eat them with tea. Despite the confusion, the food reviewer enjoyed all the British snacks he tried and concluded: 'Overall, England, you guys know your snacks. 'I think England might be at the top of the charts of [all] the countries' snack game(s) that I've tried.'
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Marks and Spencer boss pledges high street giant ‘will bounce back stronger' from cyber attack
The Easter attack saw it having to stop taking online fashion and home orders while stores ran out of some products THE boss of Marks And Spencer has pledged the high street giant 'will bounce back stronger' from a cyber attack — and compared the financial toll to the Budget tax raid. Chief exec Stuart Machin admitted hackers had dealt a heavy blow to its hard-fought turnaround but was confident of weathering the storm. Advertisement 3 Chief exec Stuart Machin admitted hackers had dealt a heavy blow to Marks and Spencer Credit: Rex 3 The Easter attack saw stores run out of some products — including favourites such as Percy Pigs Credit: Reuters The Easter attack saw it having to stop taking online fashion and home orders while stores ran out of some products — including favourites such as Percy Pigs. Mr Machin reckoned the £300million 'gross costs' will likely be halved because of insurance and the retailer's own savings. He told The Sun that Budget changes to National Insurance represented a £60million hit while new environmental packaging rules will add another £40million. The business also faces higher wages. This means Chancellor Rachel Reeves will cause much longer-lasting pain than the criminal hackers. Advertisement Mr Machin said: 'In comparison this cyber incident is a one-off cost.' He described the decision to switch off online orders as 'chopping off the threat at its knees' and said he realised 'that we had to go through the pain to come back later', He called the early stages of the crisis as going into 'survival mode'. And he added the chaos of the last month had been 'a challenging time — but it is just a moment in time'. Advertisement Five years ago chairman Archie Norman expressed his frustration that Covid store closures had robbed M&S of its turnaround 'just when we were showing a bit of leg'. This time around the cyber attack has overshadowed the story of its best profits in 17 years. M&S reveals SIX different Christmas food adverts featuring comedy legend and music star The business reported its adjusted profits — M&S's preferred measure — rose 22 per cent to £875million in the year to March 29. And while during the pandemic M&S was saddled with £1.4billion of debt, the balance sheet is 'the best its been for 30 years'. Advertisement Sales were up six per cent to £13.9billion, boosted by a 8.7 per cent jump in food sales and a 3.5 per cent rise in fashion and home sales. However, a black spot was the 23.9 per cent drop in pre-tax profits to £511.8million — linked to a hefty £248.5million writedown of its joint venture in Ocado. NEW TECH FOR FUTURE M&S is taking advantage of its 'window of disruption' to speed up planned IT overhauls — and will keep much of the technology developed during its cyber crisis. The retailer admitted its former systems were too complicated and, early in the disruption, left shop staff having to resort to pen-and-paper stocktaking. It has developed new apps since, with one dubbed 'Henry Hoover' because it 'sucks up' product tagging codes to check stocks. A 'gap scanning app' notifies warehouses what is needed. SEVERN'S SURGING PROFITS SEVERN TRENT profits have flowed even higher — just as it hikes customer bills by more than a fifth. The 4.7million households served by the water firm will be outraged after it raised bills by £99 a year to an average £556. Advertisement 3 Severn boss Liv Garfield justified the increase by saying that it will help fund £15billion of investment Credit: Getty Images - Getty Severn boss Liv Garfield justified the increase by saying that it will help fund £15billion of investment in upgrading its pipes, sewers and also build new reservoirs — creating 7,000 new jobs. The company's profits have surged by 59 per cent to £320million for the year ending March 31 while revenues rose by 3.8 per cent to £2.4billion. It has increased its dividend as a result by 4.2p to 121.7p for investors. The firm was fined £600,000 in November for polluting a kilometre of Trent River. Advertisement Severn Trent said that it had missed its 'overall regulatory pollutants target' and reduced spills by 66 per cent. JD GETS KICKING JD SPORTS was given the boot by investors after a drop in profits — and a warning that Trump tariffs could lead to higher prices. Shares tumbled by up to ten per cent after the retailer reported pre-tax profits were down 11.8 per cent to £715million, despite revenues rising 8.7 per cent to £11.4billion. Investors were also spooked by a two per cent sales slump in the 13 weeks to May 2. The firm warned that the volatility from tariffs may see prices 'rise to some degree' for shoppers in the US. BRANCHES BOON THE boss of Nationwide stressed the importance of branches as she said they are still being used to take out new products. Debbie Crosbie told MPs April was Nationwide's busiest month ever for people taking out Cash individual savings accounts (ISAs) with 40 per cent of them written 'in branch'. The Treasury Select Committee also heard 30 per cent of current account openings are made in person. Advertisement Nationwide, which acquired Virgin Money, says all branches will stay open until 2028.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Marks and Spencer boss pledges high street giant ‘will bounce back stronger' from cyber attack
THE boss of Marks And Spencer has pledged the high street giant 'will bounce back stronger' from a cyber attack — and compared the financial toll to the Budget tax raid. Chief exec Stuart Machin admitted hackers had dealt a heavy blow to its hard-fought turnaround but was confident of weathering the storm. 3 3 The Easter attack saw it having to stop taking online fashion and home orders while stores ran out of some products — including favourites such as Percy Pigs. Mr Machin reckoned the £300million 'gross costs' will likely be halved because of insurance and the retailer's own savings. He told The Sun that Budget changes to National Insurance represented a £60million hit while new environmental packaging rules will add another £40million. The business also faces higher wages. This means Chancellor Rachel Reeves will cause much longer-lasting pain than the criminal hackers. Mr Machin said: 'In comparison this cyber incident is a one-off cost.' He described the decision to switch off online orders as 'chopping off the threat at its knees' and said he realised 'that we had to go through the pain to come back later', He called the early stages of the crisis as going into 'survival mode'. And he added the chaos of the last month had been 'a challenging time — but it is just a moment in time'. Five years ago chairman Archie Norman expressed his frustration that Covid store closures had robbed M&S of its turnaround 'just when we were showing a bit of leg'. This time around the cyber attack has overshadowed the story of its best profits in 17 years. M&S reveals SIX different Christmas food adverts featuring comedy legend and music star The business reported its adjusted profits — M&S's preferred measure — rose 22 per cent to £875million in the year to March 29. And while during the pandemic M&S was saddled with £1.4billion of debt, the balance sheet is 'the best its been for 30 years'. Sales were up six per cent to £13.9billion, boosted by a 8.7 per cent jump in food sales and a 3.5 per cent rise in fashion and home sales. However, a black spot was the 23.9 per cent drop in pre-tax profits to £511.8million — linked to a hefty £248.5million writedown of its joint venture in Ocado. NEW TECH FOR FUTURE M&S is taking advantage of its 'window of disruption' to speed up planned IT overhauls — and will keep much of the technology developed during its cyber crisis. The retailer admitted its former systems were too complicated and, early in the disruption, left shop staff having to resort to pen-and-paper stocktaking. It has developed new apps since, with one dubbed 'Henry Hoover' because it 'sucks up' product tagging codes to check stocks. A 'gap scanning app' notifies warehouses what is needed. SEVERN'S SURGING PROFITS SEVERN TRENT profits have flowed even higher — just as it hikes customer bills by more than a fifth. The 4.7million households served by the water firm will be outraged after it raised bills by £99 a year to an average £556. 3 Severn boss Liv Garfield justified the increase by saying that it will help fund £15billion of investment in upgrading its pipes, sewers and also build new reservoirs — creating 7,000 new jobs. The company's profits have surged by 59 per cent to £320million for the year ending March 31 while revenues rose by 3.8 per cent to £2.4billion. It has increased its dividend as a result by 4.2p to 121.7p for investors. The firm was fined £600,000 in November for polluting a kilometre of Trent River. Severn Trent said that it had missed its 'overall regulatory pollutants target' and reduced spills by 66 per cent. JD GETS KICKING JD SPORTS was given the boot by investors after a drop in profits — and a warning that Trump tariffs could lead to higher prices. Shares tumbled by up to ten per cent after the retailer reported pre-tax profits were down 11.8 per cent to £715million, despite revenues rising 8.7 per cent to £11.4billion. Investors were also spooked by a two per cent sales slump in the 13 weeks to May 2. The firm warned that the volatility from tariffs may see prices 'rise to some degree' for shoppers in the US. BRANCHES BOON THE boss of Nationwide stressed the importance of branches as she said they are still being used to take out new products. Debbie Crosbie told MPs April was Nationwide's busiest month ever for people taking out Cash individual savings accounts (ISAs) with 40 per cent of them written 'in branch'. The Treasury Select Committee also heard 30 per cent of current account openings are made in person. Nationwide, which acquired Virgin Money, says all branches will stay open until 2028.
Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
I'm a GP. This is why a good bedside manner is so crucial
'Hello, my name is Oscar and I'm one of the doctors ', is a phrase I have had on auto-play for over 15 years. Almost as nauseating as an overenthusiastic customer service provider at a fast-food joint. I just never got the stars or smiley face on my particular ID badge. I hope I have an excellent bedside manner, but was I born to care or did I learn to? Communication skills certainly formed a considerable part of the medical school curriculum. Actors were drafted in – on what seemed like a weekly basis – to help simulate different challenging patient scenarios. I wiped a drop of spittle from my cheek whilst talking to a very angry gentleman. He was screaming, not talking. Another gave handy hints on appropriate topics for discussion whilst I conducted a smear test. That particular hero actually allowed unqualified doctors the fully simulated experience. Real-time feedback on both our rapport and practical skills with a swab and speculum. Her mirror ensured we had found her cervix correctly, but it was our ability to empathise, support and explain that she reflected on most. Whilst training in the ranks on a ward round, I've returned to a patient's bedside on several occasions to do some damage limitation when a boss appears to have left their manners at home. They really are an excellent surgeon though, I assure you. When lying vulnerable in a healthcare setting, even the slightest slip of a P or Q can send us spinning. The obstetrician entered just as my wife was about birth our second child. He glanced at Rae's by now enormous tummy and enquired whether the last baby was 'rather a big one'. Were we to worry? Might it get stuck? We panicked. 'The thought had crossed my mind,' he proclaimed, before announcing he was heading home. He gave the midwife a reassuring pat on the shoulder and suggested I stock up on Percy Pigs. Nowadays chatbots dish out medical advice without the need for waiting lists or the 8am reception dash. When I worry that a doc-bot might put me out of a job, I reassure myself that they can't empathise quite like a good old human. One study asked a team of healthcare pros to rate and compare the responses given to the same medical query by qualified doctors and an AI chatbot. The bot came out on top for clinical quality – presumably helped by its infinite data collection. More concerningly, the bot was nearly 10 times more empathetic than the human responders. Perhaps these clinicians had been in the bar rather than attending the comms tutorial with the spitting man. The study only looked at written responses, so for now, hopefully that reassuring voice, appropriate eye contact or a carefully chosen smile-a-day might keep the P45 away. The challenge for us medical professionals is to sustain that bedside manner and deliver it to each and every patient we encounter. Whether approaching the end of a night shift or in spite of that message from school informing you that your own child now has a fever. It is not easy. Research commissioned for a medical indemnity provider showed that miscommunication and poor bedside manners were responsible for more claims against doctors than misdiagnosis. Getting it right is critical in every sense. Every time. The old adage that 90 per cent of a medical diagnosis comes from the patient's description of their problem still feels as though it holds true today. Allowing time and the open channel of communication required for that story to shine through can be difficult. Time is, after all, waiting lists. But when a patient is genuinely allowed to explain their concerns and expectations this dramatically facilitates the process for all. A stitch in time saves nine. Even when it's not a stitch they require but a hug or an antibiotic. The power in sharing a health problem should not be underestimated. We are gradually removing stigma and enabling those conversations to happen between family, friends and even colleagues. I'm not advocating a game of top-trumps using your prostate blood test results or becoming a health bore at a yoga class, but there is a power in sharing experiences. When I suggest to patients joining a support group of others facing similar health issues, the majority recoil. As humans we bond through our vulnerabilities. Most of us would rather this was a neighbourly chat about a missed bin collection rather than a medical diagnosis. Those who are brave enough to share rarely regret it. Isolation should come with more health warnings than many drugs. I was born with the genetic condition of albinism. I would avoid all but essential discussion on the topic until I made a documentary for the BBC, exposing the brutality that many people living with albinism face around the world. The response took me by surprise. I received countless messages from people living with genetic disorders, disabilities or chronic illnesses – as well as their nearest and dearest – who had never previously felt able to talk openly about the challenges they had experienced. The very people who needed excellent bedside manners from those around them were struggling. I had over-shared, but hopefully it had helped somebody. What of the professional listeners though? Contrary to the vitriol on many a chat forum, the latest NHS GP Patient Survey brings positive news: 85 per cent of respondents felt that they were treated with care and concern, and 92 per cent had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw. This certainly fits with the experiences of most of the guests on my new podcast, Bedside Manners. When Miriam Margolyes looks you in the eye and reminds you of the necessity of kindness and active listening in caring for those who are ageing, you take that forward. If you find yourself in the dissatisfied category what can be done? Consider the doctor-patient interaction like any other professional relationship. Sometimes people gel, sometimes not. It is often worth giving it a second go. Perhaps your first consultation caught your doctor on a bad day. You yourself might be able to help the relationship blossom. Time is sadly limited, so be direct with your concerns and give your doctor a clear focus for the time you have together. If things are unclear or you feel upset, let them know. Sometimes a previously bad experience – like an unwelcome diagnosis outside of your doctor's control – can mean you no longer feel comfortable seeing a particular clinician. As clinicians we welcome feedback but if you feel it is difficult to talk directly to your doctor about an issue, then you can always provide feedback or raise a complaint via either the practice manager at the GP practice or the hospital PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) team. When you can no longer continue, look to change. Many GP practices will have multiple doctors and it may be that you are better suited to an alternative team member. My jeans may not fit you, but they're not necessarily bad jeans. You could also consider moving to another local practice – word of mouth recommendations or the NHS website are a helpful guide. I dream of a world where we can each truly offer one another the bedside manners that we all deserve. Even with training, is it rather a big one? The thought had crossed my mind.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
American Netflix star tries UK snacks for first time and one is the best
Jonny Manganello, who appeared on Netflix's hit show Is it Cake?, has shared his reaction after trying a series of popular snacks from Marks & Spencer, and declared one is better than the others An American streaming star has sampled a series of UK snacks, and has declared one better than all the others. Percy Pigs are one of Britain's most beloved sweets. Last year, Marks & Spencer revealed that every minute, 36 bags of Percy Pigs are sold in the UK. This is equivalent to a staggering 18.7million bags per year. Now, tourists visiting the UK are rushing to their closest M&S shop to get a hold of the famous sweets, which now have a series of spin-off flavours and sizes. Netflix 's Is It Cake? star Jonny Manganello took to TikTok, where he has millions of followers, to share his reaction after finally getting to try the popular sweets during his recent holiday to London. In his video, he held up a large paper bag emblazoned with the M&S logo before announcing the was going to try the viral sweets for the first time. "I'm in the UK and I'm trying M&S for the first time. I'm very excited about this. You better believe we're gonna be trying lots of candy. Percy Pig, honey. Anybody heard of it? I have and I've been wanting to try these my whole goddamn life. "I mean look - oh my god I'm so excited," he said as he took out one of the sweets from the package. "Smells like bright, sour cherry or something," he said before taking a bite out of it. "Oh my god that's good. Wow they were not lying, Percy Pig's the b***h. Oh my god it's so good." Next up, he pulled out a bag of Reversy Percy Pig sweets, where the ears and face have been swapped around. Taking a bite, he declared that they tasted just as delicious as the original sweets. "Okay, these are the piglets," he then said as he poured the sweets into his hand, showing that the back of the pigs had the jelly part that's normally on the ears. WARNING: This video contains strong language. Viewer discretion is advised. After tasting them, he said: "It tastes almost like a gummy and a marshmallow had a baby." The fourth type of sweet tried is another British classic - Colin the Caterpillar. And while he didn't try the Colin cake, he did try the sweets, which he also enjoyed, noting that they had a different consistency than the gummy worms he'd eaten in the States. He also made sure to try the 'softies' version of the Colin sweets, which he first compared to Squashies. "Here's my feeling about these like, foamy [sweets]. They're not as good," he said bluntly. "I like them more in the Percy Pig where it's like paired with a normal gummy. I don't like those softies." Finally, he put wine gums to the test. "Wine gums, that sounds very British to me," he said before trying them. "Mmm, oh that could pull cavities out. They taste almost identical to [American sweets] Dots, is that what those are called?" " M&S, I love your candy selection," he said as he continued to eat from his selection of sweets. "Giving Trader Joe's a run for its money." He then announced: "I think my favourite thing was the normal Percy Pig. All the variations are like fine, but I'll eat it." In response to the video, several Brits took to the comments to share their opinions on the sweets, with some also recommending other things Jonny should try. One Brit commented: "The pinnacle of M&S are the Colin the Caterpillar cakes. The lore of caterpillar cakes run strong here, they sued another store for their Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake. Every child's birthday has some type." "For me a reversy is the elite option over the standard percy. But both are amazing," another person shared. "if you're heading back to M&S you need to try the fizzy pig tails & the bakery white chocolate cookies. Also hit up Tesco to get the cinnamon bun tear& share that recently went viral!" a third viewer recommended.
