Waitrose and Sainsbury took a step back from the hard grind of modern supermarketing and enjoyed a civilised round of April Fool's japery this year.
Waitrose was fooling no-one with a fishy story about Atlantic red herrings due to go into its new Belgravia store on April 1. But it should get a pat on the back for trying so hard.
A Waitrose press release explains the spring seasonal delicacy herrings are sourced from a "fully sustainable private school off the shores of northern Scotland". And Waitrose fish buyer Jeremy Langley is quoted saying "they are caught without a hook, line and sinker", rather nets with lights and bells on them are used.
Moving on, there were Sainsbury's claims it was test marketing square peas. Apparently, Sainsbury scientists had rediscovered an "ancient" variety, which had been grown in the early 18th century.
It fell out of favour as gardeners opted for its sweeter-tasting, rounder relative, but Sainsbury growers had now managed to recreate it.
The peas, launched April 1, were even guaranteed not to fall off the fork.
On speaking to Sainsbury's PR people on April Fool's day, it turned out not all of them had not been let in on the joke in advance. They had been rather confused by some of the phone calls they took.
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Waitrose was fooling no-one with a fishy story about Atlantic red herrings due to go into its new Belgravia store on April 1. But it should get a pat on the back for trying so hard.
A Waitrose press release explains the spring seasonal delicacy herrings are sourced from a "fully sustainable private school off the shores of northern Scotland". And Waitrose fish buyer Jeremy Langley is quoted saying "they are caught without a hook, line and sinker", rather nets with lights and bells on them are used.
Moving on, there were Sainsbury's claims it was test marketing square peas. Apparently, Sainsbury scientists had rediscovered an "ancient" variety, which had been grown in the early 18th century.
It fell out of favour as gardeners opted for its sweeter-tasting, rounder relative, but Sainsbury growers had now managed to recreate it.
The peas, launched April 1, were even guaranteed not to fall off the fork.
On speaking to Sainsbury's PR people on April Fool's day, it turned out not all of them had not been let in on the joke in advance. They had been rather confused by some of the phone calls they took.
{{COUNTERPOINT }}
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