Basically I'm a Waitrose fan. Some of your convenience meals - Chilli Con Carne, curries etc are as good, sometimes better than M&S. But... 2 recent gripes: your Waitrose fresh soups are generally disappointing, you can't compete with Covent Garden soups (their mushroom soup is fantastic). Today I bought 'Chicken and Spelt broth soup, lashed out £3! It was awful, there was a predominant taste of rosemary (and possibly garlic puree) not chicken or vegetables. It was thick and stodgy, hardly any delicious liquidy broth or bits of solid chicken: the bottom line was simply profit. Why is it so difficult to get decent chicken and veg fresh soup. There's no secret to the recipe. Every year after Xmas, we'd have her turkey, or chicken, or both, soups. here's what she did. Take all remaining chicken/turkey from the carcass (buy an extra leg or breast if not enough) - set aside. Boil carcas for a few hours. Skim off fat which will have risen to top. Put in large saucepan, with chopped carrot, chopped onions, and chopped celery, and not too much pearl barley - that will give some body to soup but don't overdo it: you want plenty of delicious, liquidy broth as well as meat & vegetables.. Simmer for 90-120 mins, after 45 mins add turkey/chicken. Serve with crusty roll - heaven on earth! Can this not be mass-produced and 'tubbed'? Then there's desserts. Waitrose are crazy: they make own brand, wonderful desserts like Tarte Framboise and then promote Itsu dumplings. These are awful, uneatable. Where are your taste sample team? I've offered my services for free and you've spurned them - I'd reject the Duchy soup and the foul Itsu dumplings - and get your product development team working on my Mum's chicken soup. Sorry, but see Wesker's play 'Chicken soup with Barley' - forget the spelt. Avoid tears over spelt broth! Dudley Jones