Great 'supermarket staff, tell us your reduction policies' Hunt

Alexi_2

SilverLiz wrote: »

Does anyone get good food reductions in their local Marks&Spencer store?

I've worked on and off for Marky Sparkies for about three years, and as far as I can tell, reduction policies differ throughout the stores. However, the first store-wide 'waste-check' (that is, for items that go out of date that day) commences at around 3pm, and can lead to items being reduced. If the foods manager is organised and not short-staffed, a staff member takes a trolley around, and sticks reduction labels on just about any product due to expire that day (apart from the bakery products).

From what I can see, the bigger the shop, the more organised (and consistent) the reductions are likely to be. The M&S in Nottingham tends to reduce a lot more food than the store I work at when I'm in Kent, for example.

SilverLiz - If reduced stock still hasn't been sold by the end of the day, it's taken to the staff shop. But you are right - the store I worked at used to have the policy of only selling waste to staff. This changed last year, but some stores may still operate on this policy.

Little_red_devil

I work for a co-op up in Aberdeen and we reduce all stock thats due to be displayed until the next day roughly between opening and lunchtime for the next day by just about any amount the member of staff chooses. The stock due out of date that day gets reduced further again at any time between opening and lunchtime but gets reduced again between 6pm-8pm right down to 10p for most items and bakery gets reduced to about same nearer 9pm.

Reverbe

Alexi I once had a M&S staff member in a store that wasnt my local refuse to sell me rhubarb crumble that was YS stickered as he hauled loads of them off the shelf into a trolley saying these are to be binned.Surely better to let me have them at reduced price than to make nothing on them??

mellymeep

I worked in M&S over Christmas and my store had a really organised waste routine.

Reduced items for the customers would be stickered about midday, and left on the shelves with the full priced things, there wasn't any designated area where reduced items would go so it would just be a case of finding the stickered items on the shelves (we used yellow stickers, dunno if its different in any other store.) Then at 3pm the out of date food would be taken off the shelves altogether for the staff waste shop... boy do I miss that!

jamespir

ive noticed recently that tesco seem to be changing the way they reduce stuff like you used to be able to get things for 10-20p but now they dont seem to reduce anything below 50p now (unless it was less than 50p to begin with )

also i go in at 8 oclock in the morning to get my paper and theyll have loads of stuff on the reduce isle from last night because it hasnt sold becasue it is considered too expensive even when reduced

Reverbe

james most of the things on our Tescos reduced shelf have always been over a £1 still. Occasionally my flatmate has found breadrolls etc for 10-30p but it is very rare.To me it is no wonder it is still there from the night before as some ppl say they can get things for a few pence while our MrT still charges over £1-£2 for each item.

stevenevermind

echelon101 wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6676345.stm
21 May 2007, 23:01

Bit old...also
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It is not illegal to sell food past its sell-by date, but it is store policy at both Sainsbury's and Tesco that once the food has passed that date it should not be sold to customers.
Yet, I saw food past its sell-by date on the fresh food counters at both supermarkets, and it was regularly being sold.

I think using the words "sell-by date" is a bit confusing.

Food products usually have either a "Use By" or "Best Before" date.

Therefore it is illegal to sell after the "Use By" date and not illegal to sell after the "Best Before" date.

taffytoffy

I'm a food manager in a M&S store. Our company policy is to reduce food no more than 4 hours before we close and then only if there are 3 or more of the same item going out of life that day. This should only apply to fresh produce, meat, ready meals, bread, etc. All reduced items are yellow stickered and left in their usual place, we don't run 'reduced counters' as you find in other supermarkets. Longer life items such as biscuits, crisps, etc do not come under this policy. As mentioned by another member, please don't follow the staff around when they are doing reductions,as it's very annoying and they will likely go off and do another job until you have gone, many people buy every single reduced item, not giving our other customers a look in. Any items left at the end of the day are sold to staff at either half or quarter of their original price. This has always been a favourite perk for M&S staff and also reduces the amount of waste the company has to pay to dispose of.

mab30

hi all
new to this, but was interested in the 'use by' 'sell by' threads - please note that it IS illegal for a retailer to sell a product where the 'SELL BY' date has already expired - the fine is substantial and it may even be worth speaking to the retailer that you've identified a product that is due to expire, if they'd like to 'offload' it at a discount. The guerilla alternative is to make the purchase, leave the store and then contact the retailer stating that you've been sold goods unfit for consumption as they're beyond their legal SELL BY date.

Souk08

I got some right bargains in M and S in Glasgow today. It was before 4pm and the staff DID put it in a particular area. It was great, sausages for £1 and chips for 50p that were a Dine in side.