Marks and Spenser

Elmo

I was in one of those express M&S supermarkets. What a waste of time and money. Though I suspect that these types of shops are for convenience.

Everything was overly priced and most was pre-packed, salads and pizzas with a few expensive pieces of sliced imported meat. The bread was doughy toasty bread to me, no fresh roles or loafs. Even perhaps Stafford's sliced pan (I do think that they are in danger of becoming doughy).

Anyway I don't get the deal with the "wonderful" M&S I don't think I will ever try to pick a few bits an pieces from such an overpriced shop again.

ejmaztec

Ah well.

Elmo

ejmaztec wrote: »

Ah well.

Thanks Just think we should really think about these overly marketed stores that provide little other than stuff to go into the recycling bin.

I choose not to buy anything in the end after 20 mins thinking "what is this crap".

dudara

Not a Consumer Issue - Moved to Rip Off Ireland

dudara

lau1247

i do find that their quality is slightly better but i definitely don't think it can be justified with the price tag..

i used to get lots of fruits from M&S but that was before I discovered Aldi super saver 6.. never looked back since..

ejmaztec

Some people like waving their M&S bags around, that's all there is to it.:pac:

Aglomerado

ejmaztec wrote: »

Some people like waving their M&S bags around, that's all there is to it.:pac:

Very true, I know a guy like this who comes into work with an M&S bag going on about the stuf he got in "Morks and Sponcer".... :rolleyes: Having said that though I love their cheese

maxer68

whilst they are over priced, their food is far higher quality and justifies the price due to its convenience and far better taste to other ready meals - but not a patch on home-made.

In saying this, their meal deal for €12.50 is stupendous value as are some of their other deals.

But generally you are paying a big premium for the convenience.

Elmo

maxer68 wrote: »

whilst they are over priced, their food is far higher quality and justifies the price due to its convenience and far better taste to other ready meals - but not a patch on home-made.

In saying this, their meal deal for €12.50 is stupendous value as are some of their other deals.

But generally you are paying a big premium for the convenience.

I am sorry I just didn't see it, perhaps making my own food I fail to see the convenience of ready made salads and washed lettuce, not a sign of a head of leafy lettuce only the ultra-modern 1980s Iceberg lettuce.

The selection of bread was allot to be desired,Much of it was no more than Brennan's Sliced pan, but over priced and most likely imported.

The other issue which I have with M&S is their chocolate, perhaps it is the stuff we have been given as presents from the M&S range but most of it has been a real disappointment.

I really felt "do people honestly eat this muck? and really think it is any more convenient than homemade?".

Also this isn't just about Rip Off Ireland I was looking at it in terms of quality.

maxer68

Elmo wrote: »

I am sorry I just didn't see it, perhaps making my own food I fail to see the convenience of ready made salads and washed lettuce, not a sign of a head of leafy lettuce only the ultra-modern 1980s Iceberg lettuce.

The selection of bread was allot to be desired,Much of it was no more than Brennan's Sliced pan, but over priced and most likely imported.

The other issue which I have with M&S is their chocolate, perhaps it is the stuff we have been given as presents from the M&S range but most of it has been a real disappointment.

I really felt "do people honestly eat this muck? and really think it is any more convenient than homemade?".

Also this isn't just about Rip Off Ireland I was looking at it in terms of quality.

Homemade is definitely the way to go, but after a hard day at work, a long journey home, too tired to make something for just 2 people to just get something inside the system, M&S can be a godsend. Same if you're away from home and the choice is expensive restaurant on your own or M&S food in your room. - And that's what they target. If definitely not everyday shopping.:D

btw - a lot of their chocolate (if its says made in Ireland) is lily O'briens.

Elmo

maxer68 wrote: »

btw - a lot of their chocolate (if its says made in Ireland) is lily O'briens.

Ah always preferred Butlers, or else we are getting the cheap stuff as presents!

Homemade is definitely the way to go, but after a hard day at work, a long journey home, too tired to make something for just 2 people to just get something inside the system, M&S can be a godsend.

There are plenty of quick and easy meals to be made.

the groutch

OP you should reserve judgement til you've been to one of the bigger stores, with bigger selection, and all the special offers clearly displayed on end friedges

Elmo

the groutch wrote: »

OP you should reserve judgement til you've been to one of the bigger stores, with bigger selection, and all the special offers clearly displayed on end friedges

True but the Express shops are really a waste of money.

monkeynuz

Hi,

I just thought I would add my own experience of Marks and Spencer to this thread.

Firstly, I am originally from the UK and myself and my wife would have been frequent shoppers in M&S.

After moving to Ireland we decided after a year or two to start going back to M&S at a town a little way away from us because we felt that the local Supervalu seemed quite expensive (2007ish) So we spent the next 3 years buying ALL groceries at Marks, and it was supprising because our grocery bill went down, we have a lot of fruit juice and the special offers on that were great and likewise if you choose the different deals on the meat and ready meals you can get a lot of stuff reduced. We would go there and fill up 2 trolleys at least and regulary spend between €350 and €700. However, sometime time early last year we started to notice the quality getting less, silly things at first like the mango chutney was runnier, but then we noticed them rebranding a lot of the products, but at the same time altering the product inside but keeping the price the same. So now we are shopping back at Supervalu, and we have also noticed in the last year or so that the prices have dropped dramatically at SV, so we are more than happy. Although I would like to strees that we don'y buy ready meals any more, that was something we always reserved for M&S!

The quality of food at Supervalu we have found to be quite good.

ANyway I think you are probably bored with me by now, so I will go.

Elmo

Did you complain to the shop manager? And would you in the UK, which part of the UK BTW?

byhookorbycrook

M and S do not use trans fats/hydrogenated fats, make for more expensive-but safer- food.

monkeynuz

Hi Elmo,

I used to use M&S in the East of England and London, including the flagship store in Marble Arch.

I did complain directly to M&S and never received a satisfactory response.

But I am not the only one, it would appear in the UK lot's of people are voting with their feet and ceasing to use M&S for both food and clothing, I also used to buy the "essentials" from M&S but no longer do because the qaulity and cut are diabolical, yes they did reduce their prices on clothing considerably but at the same time dramatically reduced the quality.

I have been using M&S for 30 years or more, but now no longer feel able to.

That is merely my own opinion and not intended to reflect the opinion of anyone else, and anyone reading this please feel free to make up your own mind.

I also purchased a large amount of "Christmas treats" from M&S two years ago and they were rubbish, most of them went in the bin, like I have said the quality is no longer good enough for me.

M.

Elmo

I thought it was just Ireland that was seeing the reduced quality and wondered if it was because we don't complain enough, M&S would want to be careful, consumers will pay that little extra for quality, to ignore your brand image and fight will low cost retailers is just undermining your expensive marketing campaigns. Not only are you loosing loyal customers but you are also having new customers ask the question "what's all the fuss about?".

You should have wrapped up the christmas treats as presents haha, possibly what happened us

Damokc

Do M&S still bring in their packaged sambos in from England in refrigerated trucks?

ABajaninCork

I'm from London myself, and used to live in M & S as it was over the road from my office in the City.

Years ago, the quality of the ready meals and the bread used to be great. Tasted good and the bread kept really well. Now I've moved here, I've quickly learnt that:

• Quality of the ready meals has REALLY gone down. In particular, the curries are AWFUL!
• The bread is rubbish. No taste, and doesn't keep nearly as well.
• The cost of clothes vs UK prices is prohibitive. I refuse to pay a premium, so wait until I go home and get what I want then.The same thing applies to Next and Debenhams. I can't believe how much more expensive the prices are here, compared to home...

But I still love M & S!

Elmo

ABajaninCork wrote: »

But I still love M & S!

Has the quality of food gone down also in London in your opinion?

Business Nightmares on BBC 2 seems to be showing how big business ignore their consumers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011d9xs

ABajaninCork

TBH - I haven't had a ready-made meal in London for ages, so cannot comment. I had a curry from M & S at Christmas. I took one mouthful and the rest (about E15 worth) went in the bin.

I wrote to M & S to complain. In fairness, they did take my complaints seriously, and immediately offered me a replacement as well as my money. The replacement meal was just as disgusting, but didn't bother to complain again. I just don't buy the meals again. But I still like the clothes, and the bedding's excellent quality even if it costs a bit more.

jpmiddleton

lau1247 wrote: »

i do find that their quality is slightly better but i definitely don't think it can be justified with the price tag..

i used to get lots of fruits from M&S but that was before I discovered Aldi super saver 6.. never looked back since..

I would completely agree, but are they really that expensive? In the UK they are more expensive to their other supermarket counter parts in relation.