In addition to the prospect of World War Three, 2026 has seen global oil shortages and mass flight cancellations. But there’s one shortage which has hit me and other office workers a little harder than any of those.
Pret A Manger’s “jambon beurre” sandwich, a small French–style “losange” bread roll with butter, ham and cornichons inside, has disappeared from most of the chain’s shelves in recent weeks.
Like many, I pop into Pret when I’m in a hurry – on my work lunch break, on my way to the pub or a tennis match – because it has healthy, on-the-go food that is only mildly overpriced. Pret A Manger has become a utility of sorts for commuters. And the jambon beurre its trademark offering.
Pret has confessed the disappearance is due to the “temporary shortage” of cornichons (which are immature gherkin cucumbers). I can confirm that it’s those cornichons that do the heavy lifting. They add a tart, acidic zing which offsets the richness of the ham and butter. To bite and feel the subsequent soft crunch is the closest to heaven I’ve gotten while on my 8am commute.I’m not the only one who thinks this. You can read panicked social media posts about the jambon beurre’s disappearance: “Thank God someone has investigated the missing Jambon Beurres. I’ve been wondering where they were.”You see, the jambon beurre’s speciality is its simplicity. It won’t leave you with smelly breath, like, say, the chain’s Tuna Mayo Baguette. It’s fine for a sensitive palate, unlike Pret’s new chilli-laden Thai Style Chicken Baguette.
And it’s a little better than just getting a ham and butter sandwich. As Pret’s only sandwich which has a French name to match the name of the retailer, it makes you feel – I’m going to say it – a little bit classy. You could imagine yourself eating a jambon beurre while strolling along the banks of the Seine, rather than one–handing it while gripping the handrail on the Northern Line back to Stockwell.
When will the jambon beurre be back? Pret has declined to give more details on the shortage beyond “supplier issues”. It seems not inconceivable that the reclosure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the increasing price of both energy and fertiliser may have played some part: pickled cucumbers are grown in greenhouses.
Pret say they “are working hard to get this Pret favourite back in shops as soon as possible”. But then, why is it that – as various social media users point out – cornichons appear to be available in other bakeries, sandwich shops, and Asda and Lidl?
This is not the first time the humble jambon beurre has disappeared from Pret’s shelves. Back in 2021, it was a talking point among myself and friends when we briefly couldn’t find it as we were reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic. And in 2026, we are again depending upon the jambon beurre as our one constant and saving grace, amid a frighteningly unstable world. Get your act together, Pret.
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