Richard Walker, executive chairman of Iceland Foods, claimed the criticism aimed at the trial move helped the firm’s sales of traditional hot cross buns soar 134% on Thursday.
Iceland’s boss has thanked angry Tory MPs for inadvertently boosted the supermarket’s sales of hot cross buns.
Richard Walker said the criticism over the chain’s decision to replace the cross on some buns with a tick helped sales soar by 134% on Thursday. The cross on a hot cross bun is meant to represent the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which Christians remember on Good Friday.
Iceland said it made the change after a survey of 2,000 people by Censuswide showed a fifth of customers would prefer a tick on their bun. Mr Walker poked fun at the reaction on social media on Friday, saying: “Big shout out to trendsetters Rees Mogg and 30p Lee for bigging up Iceland’s hot ‘tick’ buns.”
“They weren’t for real btw lads and sales of our devout and trad hot cross buns were up 134% yesterday.” Although Mr Walker said the buns “weren’t for real”, Iceland confirmed a limited edition run of “hot tick buns” had been made available this week in some stores.
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson had earlier told the Express: “It’s this type of ridiculous namby-pamby virtual-signalling that is leading to millions of people echoing Reform UK’s call to get our country back.” The Express also reported that Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the MP for North East Somerset, joined in the debate by saying: “Who would buy a frozen tick bun? “.
The shop sells normal buns and ones with chocolate, salted caramel, white chocolate, and raspberry flavours for Easter. Mr Walker, who used to give money to the Tories and tried to be their MP last year, left the party in October and now supports Labour.
Danny Webster from Evangelical Alliance said: “Easter is when Christians across the globe remember that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave. Whatever Iceland choose to put on their buns, Christians will continue to declare the truth of the cross that Jesus is alive.”
David Lennox, Iceland’s head of development, said the trial of the hot tick bun had been informative: “According to the research, it seems some people want to do away with the cross design and move to a tick instead.”
“The results surprised us, but in true British fashion we’re putting it to the test by trialling ticks on some of our buns. Despite these being a limited run, it will be interesting to see if the British public take a liking to buttering their ticked buns. However, we’d of course never get rid of the original and much-loved Easter staple! “.
