Only Curls partners with Warburtons on limited-edition styling gel
Only Curls has teamed up with Warburtons on a limited-edition styling product inspired by the familiar childhood phrase that eating bread crusts makes your hair curly.
The collaboration centres on Crust & Curl Defining Gel, a bakery-scented product designed to create a strong cast, enhance curl definition and add soft volume. The gel features a subtle scent intended to evoke warm toast and “Sunday mornings”.
The product concept draws on research commissioned by Warburtons, which found that 39% of people who had heard the saying ‘eating crusts makes your hair curly’ believed it to be true when they were younger. While most now recognise it has no scientific basis, almost a quarter (22%) still associate eating crusts with curly hair.
The research also showed that the phrase remains one of the most commonly recalled childhood sayings, alongside beliefs such as carrots helping you see in the dark and spinach making you strong. A quarter of respondents said they have since repeated the crusts claim to a child.
Lizzie Carter, founder of Only Curls, said: “We all grew up hearing that eating your crusts would make your hair go curly. So, we thought – what if we took that seriously for a second?”
Jonathan Warburton, chairman of Warburtons Bakery, added: “Eating your crusts will give you curly hair was something my parents said to us…However, I can confirm that it holds no truth as sadly none of us have curly hair and trust me, we all eat our crusts!”
Subway launches savoury energy gels ahead of London Marathon
Subway has announced the launch of Sub-Gels, a limited-edition range of energy gels designed for endurance athletes, ahead of the London Marathon taking place on Sunday 26 April.
The products mark the brand’s first move into race nutrition and have been developed to deliver quick-release carbohydrates in a compact, easy-to-consume format for runners. Unlike traditional fruit-flavoured energy gels, the range introduces savoury flavours inspired by Subway’s core sauce portfolio.
Sub-Gels are available in three varieties: Chipotle Southwest, Sweet Onion and Honey Mustard. Each pouch is formulated to provide a rapid energy boost during long-distance runs, from early stages through to the latter parts of a race.
Subway said the launch reflects the growth of running culture within the wider fitness category and aims to offer an alternative approach to fuelling for endurance events, while retaining familiar flavours associated with the brand.
A Subway spokesperson said: “The rise of running culture within the fitness category has been rapid, and we’re always looking to meet our guests where they are. We wanted to introduce a fresh new way to fuel our customers as a part of a balanced active lifestyle.”
The limited-edition range will coincide with increased participation and interest around major running events this spring.
Florette launches face cream inspired by salad
Florette has revealed an unexpected move beyond fresh produce with the launch of HydroLeaf Miracle Moisturise, a daily face cream inspired by the brand’s salad leaves.
The product is positioned as a lightweight moisturiser containing hyaluronic acid alongside what Florette describes as its Frisée Leaf Antioxidant Complex. The brand says the cream delivers “clinically fresh hydration” and draws parallels between crop growing conditions and skincare routines.
Explaining the thinking behind the launch, Sophie Taylor, lead botanical dermatologist at Florette, said: “Our customers asked us how we keep our leaves so unbelievably crisp. It suddenly dawned on us: why shouldn’t your face get the exact same world-class hydration as our leaves?”
Taylor added: “Just as our farmers responsibly manage the soil and monitor water and temperature for our crops, HydroLeaf gets to work on ensuring your skin’s micro-climate is perfectly balanced so your complexion can flourish.
“By isolating the cellular bounce of a highly versatile mix of mild and crispy seasonal leaves, we’ve created a moisturiser that locks in 24-hour fridge-fresh firmness. Consider it the ultimate daily dressing for a perfectly crisp look: washed and ready to glow.”
HydroLeaf Miracle Moisturise will be merchandised in the chilled produce aisle alongside Florette salad products.
Slim Chickens and Victorian Plumbing unveil sauce-dispensing bath
Slim Chickens has teamed up with Victorian Plumbing to roll out the ‘world’s first’ bath with a built‑in sauce tap, designed to dispense the brand’s Slims Sauce on demand.
The collaboration is backed by research commissioned by Slim Chickens, which found that a fifth of UK consumers admit to eating in the bath. The behaviour was most prevalent among Gen Z, with 43% saying they enjoy eating during bath time. One in ten respondents said they have eaten takeaway food in the bath, while 39% described it as a “guilty pleasure”.
The research also suggested the trend varies by location, with Cardiff identified as the most common city for bath‑time eating, followed by Plymouth and Birmingham. Despite its popularity, more than a third of respondents said they keep the habit private.
James Dodd, head of marketing at Slim Chickens, said: “Bathroom eating is a trend that can’t be ignored…With a simple tap, sauce is delivered directly into your tub, making bath‑time dining easier, comfier, and far saucier than ever.”
Alex Woods, spokesperson at Victorian Plumbing, added: “The bathroom has become Britain’s most unexpected dining room, and we wanted to tap (quite literally) into this growing trend.”
Foodrise challenges Abel & Cole over land‑based salmon claims
Organic food delivery service Abel & Cole has been accused of misleading customers over its claims around land‑based salmon farming, following criticism from charity Foodrise.
Abel & Cole recently stopped selling salmon reared in marine cages, citing increasing welfare and environmental risks, and has instead switched to salmon produced in land‑based tanks. The business has described the move as a “trailblazing alternative” and “an even better solution than organic”, claims Foodrise disputes.
The charity argues that land‑based salmon farming presents significant environmental and ethical challenges, including the continued use of wild‑caught fish for feed, impacts on biodiversity and the risk of large‑scale fish mortality caused by technology failures. It has urged Abel & Cole to remove what it describes as “greenwashing” claims from its website and to develop a transition plan away from selling all farmed salmon.
Natasha Hurley, deputy director at Foodrise, said: “Abel & Cole is failing its customers by selling them salmon farmed on land. The reality is that this form of industrial salmon farming is fuelling devastation to wild fish populations, continued food colonialism and has profound impacts on animal welfare.”
