Inevitible, Really. (Rowntrees Randoms)

Member Name: Mask_and_Mirror

Product:	Rowntrees Randoms
Date:	26/07/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: There is some short-lived novelty in comparing shapes with a friend

Disadvantages: Very few in a pack, quite expensive, boring flavours, annoying name

I've always been very annoyed by the constant misuse of the word 'random' by the youth of today (am I getting old already?!). It doesn't mean 'weird' or 'surreal'- so there!

Having said that, despite my initial annoyance at the name, I was intrigued by the prospect of these sweets. I thought perhaps they would be a 'random' selection of other Rowntree's sweets, but in fact they are a new kind of sweets entirely, coming in a variety of flavours and colours and, most importantly, a (supposedly) wide array of arbitrarily chosen shapes such as icecreams, snowflakes, bow ties, fish, etc.

Well, they do indeed contain a varied selection of shapes. There aren't actually all that many different ones; you can buy a few packets before seeing the same one twice, but this is because there are so few in a packet! Also, there are exceptions; every packet I have seen contained at least one icecream, and in fact, every shape conforms to one of a few different sweet types; there are round, soft gel ones with a white foam base, standard jelly forms and foam-backed standard jelly forms.

Arguably, the most important aspect of a confectionary product is not it's shape or name, but how it tastes! Unfortunately, these are somewhat dissapointing in that regard. Although I liked the semi-liquid centre of the round sweets, most of the others are boring in taste and texture. Fruit flavours are barely realised and weak.

The packet size is 50g, which I suppose is fine for children, but to an adult it seems very small and expensive (around 60p in my experience). As a result, I would not even recommend trying them once. If you want to introduce an element of surreality to your sweet eating experience, buy a packet of your current favourites and eat them at a Dalí exhibit.

Summary: Style over substance, and not even much of that.