Foodie compares £160 Harrods mango to M&S version but there’s ‘issue’

While some prefer to bargain hunt for their groceries, some customers willing to pay top dollar for high-end products. At Harrods’ iconic food hall in central London, shoppers can find an array of premium items, from fresh meats, seafood, fruit and veg, baked goods, cheese, or ready to go meals.

However, the hefty price tags that come with these products often raise questions about their quality compared to more affordable alternatives found at supermarkets like Tesco or Lidl.

For Laura Khoshaba, the curiosity about whether luxury food items live up to their lofty prices prompted her to conduct an experiment. She recently purchased a Japanese mango from Harrods’ food hall for a staggering £160 and decided to compare it to a mango she’d bought from Marks and Spencer’s food hall.

In a video documenting her taste test, Laura set out to determine if the Harrods mango was worth the luxury price tag. She said: “I’m going to be comparing the £160 mango from Harrods to a mango from M&S.”

As she sliced open the two mangoes, a clear difference was evident; the Harrods’ mango appeared juicier and boasted a vibrant orange hue, unlike the yellowish M&S counterpart. Holding up the M&S fruit, she said: “This is very dry, like, and quite hard as well.”

Next came the taste test. As she sampled the Marks and Spencer’s mango, the crispness of the fruit was audible as she bit into it and chewed.

“No,” her friend off camera interjected after tasting the mango, to which Laura responded: “It’s dry.

“Very, very, very dry,” her friend concurred.

Laura then explained that they had allowed the mango to ripen at home for several days after purchasing it from the shop. They also examined the skin of the mango, which they claimed both looked and felt ripe.

“It’s not ripe. It’s just a dry mango,” the off-camera woman stated.

The focus then shifted to the Harrods’ mango. After slicing into it, Laura pressed the back of the mango, causing the flesh to protrude in the same manner as the previous fruit. But this time, juice dripped down her fingers. She said: “Look at the difference.”

Upon biting into the mango, she immediately shook her head, a broad smile spreading across her face as she chewed. She then declared: “This is the best mango I’ve ever had in my life.”

“It’s just unreal,” her companion agreed. Laura added: “I just can’t get over how soft it is. You don’t have to chew it.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had fruit as tasty as this mango,” Laura said

Demonstrating her satisfaction with a piece of fruit, the woman off camera held up a piece of the fruit and said: “A perfect square. You just pick it off. We won’t be wasting any of this.”

People soon took to the comments of the video to share their thoughts, with some saying it wasn’t a fair comparison.

A viewer commented, “They are two completely different mango variants so it’s not a fair test. Like the above comments, try the Indian or Pakistani Honey mangoes and see the taste difference compared to Harrods. Will be identical for a fraction of the cost.”

Another chimed in with a similar observation: “Two very different mango types at different stages of ripeness. Like comparing a banana and plantain.”

“There’s many types of mango. In Brazil Mango Tommy is juicy, manga Rosa is delicious. Pakistani mangos are just another level,” a third person said

Amid mixed reactions, one individual expressed shock at the purported price tag: “Is it really true that Harrod’s would charge £160 for a mango? It’s not even £160 per kg?”.