Quality Street: John Lewis Drops Pick and Mix Station for First Time in Eight Years

John Lewis has confirmed it will not offer its dedicated Quality Street Pick and Mix station during the Christmas 2026 season. The retailer has stocked the station in its stores since 2018, allowing customers to build custom boxes of the chocolates. This year marks the first time in eight years that the service will be absent from the stores.

The decision leaves the entire Quality Street range unavailable to shoppers at the chain. A message on the John Lewis website states that the brand will not be available this year, while inviting customers to explore other gifting options. The retailer will instead stock competitors such as Hotel Chocolat, Butlers, and Tony’s Chocolonely.

Social media users have reacted strongly to the news, with many describing themselves as devastated or gutted in posts online. The removal of the station eliminates the ability for families to select specific favorites and omit less popular varieties for their holiday gifts.

Nestlé has also announced a second major change for the brand this year. The company will pause its trial of paper tubs for Quality Street, which were tested at Tesco in 2024 and 2025. These tubs featured gold foil embellishments and were fully recyclable, offering an alternative to the traditional packaging.

Consumer reaction to the paper tubs has been mixed. Some shoppers expressed skepticism that the packaging would alter the taste of the chocolates. One user on X, known as @bejokex, wrote, “They taste different in paper. Won’t be buying!” Another user, @ShorehamReads, joked about the loss of a traditional storage container, asking, “How is my Grandma going to store her sewing kit in there for the next thirty years?”

A Nestlé spokesperson confirmed that the paper tubs will not return for the 2026 holiday season. The company said it is using the experience from the 2024 and 2025 trials to make further developments. The spokesperson added that the company continues to explore the role of the packaging, with the ambition to bring it back on a bigger scale in the future.

This shift comes amid changes in the competitive landscape for confectionery. Cadbury introduced a major update to its Heroes brand this year, allowing fans to customize their boxes for the first time. Unlike the Quality Street station at John Lewis, Cadbury’s customization option is available only through a new virtual shop for online orders. Customers can create their own Cadbury Pick and Mix boxes or select a Postal Selection Box featuring larger bars such as Fruit and Nut or classic Dairy Milk.

The changes to Quality Street packaging and availability occur as retailers adjust their holiday assortments. Families accustomed to buying the brand at John Lewis will need to shop at other retailers to purchase the standard tubs this year. The chocolate lineup and individual sweets remain unchanged, with only the packaging trial and store availability affected by the recent decisions.