M&S Food Prices

smerch1468

After being enticed with a £5 off £50 spend voucher in M&S, I decided to get up early and do a shop just after they opened at 6am this morning.

Whilst I do expect to pay more shopping at M&S, the prices of their Christmas food including poultry is now starting to get ridiculous. A small piece of pork belly that would cost £3 a few years back, but because it has been trimmed and refined for Christmas now costs more than double! I could give umpteen other examples but luckily this year I am spending Christmas day with my sister, so don't have to worry about buying that much food for the big day.

I think I will be shopping at Waitrose/Sainsbury's in the new year.

Teahfc

And the moral to this story about buying premium products from one of the countries premium food retailers during the Christmas season is ....... ?

ThemeOne

Teahfc wrote: »

And the moral to this story about buying premium products from one of the countries premium food retailers during the Christmas season is ....... ?

Never let an opportunity to point score go past, it seems.

worried_jim

Just get yourself to Lidl, all your problems solved in one as you could have stayed in bed as they don't open till 8am.

Prinzessilein

My choice of supermarkets is M&S foodhall or a small Tesco.

This year (as in previous years) the Tesco has 3 aisles of assorted Christmas Chocolates/Selection Boxes/Gift Boxes....and is poorly stocked with basics such as milk, bread and cheese.

As a result, my 'main' shop is done at Marks. (There is a large Morrisons, but I don't drive so can't get there....and a Lidls is a bus drive away but has closed until the New Year - closed a few months ago - for refurbishment)

I actually find Marks to be terrific value for money...if you avoid too many of the tempting luxuries! ...Their meat is amazing quality, yes you might get cheaper elsewhere, but nowhere near the same quality....I look for YS offers or sometimes stock the freezer when they do a 3 for £10 offer.

Marks do their own 'basics' line for things like flour and eggs (I go for the free range mixed size which are cheapest).

I have a Sparks card which gives me regular discounts on items related to what I have bought in the past...up to 20% off sometimes.

And my voucher was £5 of a £30 shop not £50...maybe they give different offers in different towns?

Pollycat

smerch1468 wrote: »

After being enticed with a £5 off £50 spend voucher in M&S, I decided to get up early and do a shop just after they opened at 6am this morning.

Whilst I do expect to pay more shopping at M&S, the prices of their Christmas food including poultry is now starting to get ridiculous. A small piece of pork belly that would cost £3 a few years back, but because it has been trimmed and refined for Christmas now costs more than double! I could give umpteen other examples but luckily this year I am spending Christmas day with my sister, so don't have to worry about buying that much food for the big day.

I think I will be shopping at Waitrose/Sainsbury's in the new year.

Belly pork has become a fashionable piece of meat, lots of top chefs are serving it.
It used to be a cheap piece of meat but not any more.

That probably accounts for some of the price rise and the 'trimming and refined' bit will account for some more.
And prices have risen from a 'few years back'.

Maybe one of the other 'umpteen other examples' would have been a better indicator of M&S's ridiculous prices.

ETA:
this might be more appropriate to the 'Praise, Vent & Warnings' board.

Sicard

ThemeOne wrote: »

Never let an opportunity to point score go past, it seems.

There's a lot of it about it would appear.

pappa_golf

christmas would not be christmas without M&S

it would be Christa

Pollycat

pappa_golf wrote: »

christmas would not be christmas without M&S

it would be Christa

Not heard that one before, it made me smile. :snow_laug

LilElvis

I was in my M&S foodhall at 7 this morning - third time I've been there this week and taking my total spend there to £200+. I usually split my shop between there and Lidl so the prices balance each other out. Everything I've seen is the same price as it is the other 51 weeks of the year, bar the obvious seasonal variations on items such as fruit and veg. Chicken products are certainly the same price this week as they were last month - whole birds, the preweighed bags of breasts (£10), breadcrumbed pieces and packs of thighs. They're still running their usually offers on meat, ready meals and fruit and veg - 3 for £10, 3 for £7, 3 for £5 etc. They have also had numerous additional offers running over the last few weeks on wine, biscuits, chocolate and cheese. I will admit that the price of their raspberry panna cotta has doubled over the last 5 years though

It appears that the money off vouchers do vary which is perhaps based on your expenditure and loyalty as I had 2 valid for this week - £5 off £35 spend and £10 off £70 - both of which I've used. Got another 2 for next week - both £5 off £35 :T

WHA

worried_jim wrote: »

Just get yourself to Lidl

We bought our Christmas meal at Lidl last year and it ruined the day. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, pigs in blankets, all tasted disgusting. We'll never make that mistake again!