Tesco has released a birthday cake-flavoured sandwich just two months after the controversy sparked by Marks & Spencer’s strawberries and cream sandwich.
The Tesco sandwich is made with soft, brioche-style bread, a swirl of cream cheese icing with sprinkles and a layer of strawberry jam - similar to a Victoria sponge cake with the added twist of sprinkles.
It is limited edition and will only be available for four weeks from today in 1,000 stores across the country and is not currently available online.
It is priced at £3 on its own, but can also be bought as part of the meal deal for £4, or at a reduced £3.60 when purchased using a Clubcard.
The sandwich is available in stores now and has already caused controversy on social media. On X, one user posted a picture of the product on X captioned “What horror is this?”, as another user replied describing the product as “a diabetes sandwich”.
What horror is this? pic.twitter.com/Mwya5XBmTr
— Dr Helen Ingram (@drhingram) August 4, 2025
The Tesco product has been launched after the outrage caused by the Marks & Spencer strawberries and cream sandwich in June – a limited edition sandwich with strawberries, whipped cream cheese and sweetened bread.
It was inspired by Japanese sandos - sandwiches often filled with fruit, made using soft fluffy shokupan (Japanese milk bread), and went on sale during the Wimbledon tennis championships, known for the infamous strawberries and cream available at the grounds.
The M&S sandwich caused controversy because although it was classed as a sandwich by the retailer, the high sugar content of the bread sparked debates around whether it should be categorised as cake.
Most food sold in the UK is subject to zero-rated VAT. However, confectionary, including cakes and biscuits, is subject to a 20 per cent VAT rate.
Tesco’s product is classified as a sandwich made with soft brioche-style bread.
