Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pie

No, I would NOT recommend these to a friend - I wouldn't even recommend them to his dog!!

Fray Bentos pies are a complete joke - especially the so-called "Steak & Kidney" variety. Just take a look at the glorious hearty pie illustrated on their tins. Wholesome, inviting, with large chunks of good quality steak. Mmm!

I think it says "Serving Suggestion" on the tin too. Presumably then, by that they mean add your own steak as there's precious little to be found inside.

The anti climate you'll experience on serving and eating them, must resemble how people felt during the food rationing in the first and second world wars!

Fray Bentos are just one example - they're all at it - from manufacturers of fish portions and fish fingers, through to ready made and convenience products containing all manner of meats!

And let just take a look at that disgusting horse meat scandal. Their No.1 concern was purely on profits - not manufacturing high quality products that ARE what they say they are! As a horse lover myself, the thought of me ever having eaten horse meat makes we want to vomit. If it says it is "Beef Lasagne" then I EXPECT BEEF, NOT HORSE. I thought it was irresponsible and pathetic how they just shoved the blame onto suppliers.

The responsibility of what goes into their products lies SOLELY with them - NO-ONE else!

Some of the rubbish they're flogging, just PROVES they don't give a flying **** about you, the customer, at all.

Take a closer look at pre-packed sausages, as one example of just how bad products can be. Some have as little as 38% meat, and don't forget "fat" can legally be called meat, so dont assume meat means actual flesh. It doesnt!!

Equally, Cod or haddock portions and Fish Fingers, often have less than 50% fish content in some cases. They are all too often far too heavily breadcrumbed, on top of an overly thick coating of batter to deliberately plump up the product, thereby totally deceiving buyers into believing that the product has a really high fish content!

Many manufacturers practices are cleary beyond any joke Got anything to say then, have we, manufacturers??!!

(No doubt they'll be dreaming up their weak pathetic excuses, telling us all how much we love their products).

I think the public should be much better protected from what can only be described as outright DECEPTION when comparing the actual product inside - to the beautiful product shown on the packaging outside!

What manufacturers clearly don't realise is that even in such times of economic hardship, as we have today, people WILL ALWAYS pay that little extra for a good quality product and I'm sure much prefer products that accurately represent the item displayed on the packaging.

Most importantly for the manufacturer, if their products really are truly excellent, CUSTOMERS WILL ALWAYS COME BACK TO BUY THOSE PRODUCTS AGAIN & AGAIN!

On a final note, many of you will have been noticing another very popular deception being adopted by an increasing number of manufacturers/suppliers, and that is REDUCING PACK WEIGHTS AND SIZES without notice, yet the price remains the same as before. This deceitful and underhand practice is being kept conveniently quiet by manufacturers in the desperate hope that you won't notice, and is nothing short of daylight robbery.

Not too long ago, I called into a large well known supermarket chain to buy the usual own brand washing powder. This always used to come in a 3kg box, but when I got it home the weight was reduced down to 2kg! The box was exactly the same as before - strangely, so was the price!!!

When I challenged them about this clearly underhand practice, their pathetic excuse was (and I quote!)....

"OUR CUSTOMERS "PREFER" OUR GREATER RANGE OF PACKAGING AND NEW DESIGNS!"

No announcements from either them or the manufacturer that the weight inside the packs has reduced, or that they were now charging (pro-rata) over 33% more for it.

Well everyone, thanks for reading but I really MUST dash now. Someone might like to take this discussion further and give their views on the issues I've covered. I've got to go as I'm making some PROPER PIES for dinner. DAMN IT!!! - I forgot to go to the butchers for the meat!!! Never mind eh?! I'll just leave the meat out of my pies altogether shall I? And just like our friends down at Fray Bentos, hope like hell no-one notices eh??!!

Tip for the day... MAKE YOU OWN!! It tastes better, it's cheaper, and it's usually much, much, healthier too!

Jeremy P.

full of gravy and hardly any meat, the crust is very doughy and can be a pain to cut. Watch your fingers when opening with a wing tin opener. Supermarkets offer good deals on them, but id prefer a freshly made pie, and pay the extra.