? 58 pence refund from M&S in the form of an e-card?

[Deleted User]

I contacted M&S on return home from a journey by bus today, 08 February - (round trip of about 80 minutes plus walking and waiting time) to find that the milk I had bought there was dated 'Use by 05 February.'  I telephoned M&S to let them know and, although I don't know what reasonable expectations would be, I was really surprised by the response.

Since I could not return to the store with the out of date milk and receipt I was asked to take photographs of the milk and the receipt and send it to the customer services email address I was given.  I did this and here is the response I received from M&S:

"I am terribly sorry that it was not up to our usual standard. I have discussed this issue with our food team so that they can be aware of this issue to ensure others are not let down in a similar way .

 I have processed your refund in the form of e-gift card you will receive it in the next 72 hours.

Take care.

 

Kind Regards"

The milk only cost 58 pence and, as explained, I don't know what my response should reasonably be, but I'm disappointed in M&S and would be surprised to receive, as it sounds possible, an e-gift card refund for ? 58 pence in the next 72 hours.  I replied to the email expressing my concern but, more than anything, I feel just really surprised and a bit disillusioned in M&S's response.

How would anyone else respond to this, please?  I ask because I am interested.

Crimson

 

TadleyBaggie

So how much compensation do to want?

emmajones1976

Assuming your trip into town wasn't solely to go to M&S to buy two pints of milk, your quantifiable losses are 58p.

You received 58p back.

I don't see the issue.  Whenever I have had to return something out of date to the supermarket I am more than happy just to have the store credit for the equivalent value, then again not everyone wants compo. In this case you didnt even have to go back to the shop.

Claddagh_Noir

It isn't just an e-card, it is an M&S e-card!

Merlin139

Post both pictures on twitter for M&S to see making a point of asking why whatever store it was was selling milk 3 days out of date. Copy in your local council for Environmental Health Department. That will most likely produce a far better response.

It should also produce a visit from the Environmental Health inspector to the store who will go around and look for DEF (Date Expired Food)

jon81uk

Merlin139 said:

Post both pictures on twitter for M&S to see making a point of asking why whatever store it was was selling milk 3 days out of date. Copy in your local council for Environmental Health Department. That will most likely produce a far better response.

It should also produce a visit from the Environmental Health inspector to the store who will go around and look for DEF (Date Expired Food)

One incident is unlikely to get environment health out to inspect if everything is usually good. Of course if they scored poorly before it might get them to inspect again, but in general it would need several reports to show there is a major issue and failures to put in practice adequate systems.

It may be a genuine mistake where someone checking the shelf saw many bottles all with a good date, but one odd one got pushed to the back by another customer and wasn't noticed. Mistakes happen.

JGB1955

You have been reimbursed for the milk so aren't out of pocket.  I DO hope that you haven't poured the milk away - M&S tolerances are such that the milk is probably fine for another few days.  Just do the 'sniff' test.  Make a cheese sauce /Yorkshire puddings/ quiche with it.... 

mr_stripey

Deleted_User said:

I contacted M&S on return home from a journey by bus today, 08 February - (round trip of about 80 minutes plus walking and waiting time) to find that the milk I had bought there was dated 'Use by 05 February.'  I telephoned M&S to let them know and, although I don't know what reasonable expectations would be, I was really surprised by the response.

Since I could not return to the store with the out of date milk and receipt I was asked to take photographs of the milk and the receipt and send it to the customer services email address I was given.  I did this and here is the response I received from M&S:

"I am terribly sorry that it was not up to our usual standard. I have discussed this issue with our food team so that they can be aware of this issue to ensure others are not let down in a similar way .

 I have processed your refund in the form of e-gift card you will receive it in the next 72 hours.

Take care.

 

Kind Regards"

The milk only cost 58 pence and, as explained, I don't know what my response should reasonably be, but I'm disappointed in M&S and would be surprised to receive, as it sounds possible, an e-gift card refund for ? 58 pence in the next 72 hours.  I replied to the email expressing my concern but, more than anything, I feel just really surprised and a bit disillusioned in M&S's response.

How would anyone else respond to this, please?  I ask because I am interested.

Crimson

 

maybe wait and see exactly what they refund you first? They might round it up a bit?

But even if they don't, you've still been refunded for the item.

I presume you didn't take an 80 minute bus ride just to buy a pint of milk?

[Deleted User]

Thank you for all your replies.  I was disappointed but, have to eat humble pie now.  After contacting them I recieved a 'no reply' email telling me that they will refund the whole cost of my food shopipng on the receipt which included the 58 pence milk.

I have replied thanking them and apologizing.  My email was polite when I expressed my concern about an e-card refund (? 58 pence)  and, to be fair, M&S are very generously refunding, not just the milk, but the cost of the other food items purchased at the same time.

I'm suitably chastened and, now, really embarrassed - I deserve it.  I am sorry, M&S, and I know It was a mistake. As jon81uk rightly says, mistakes happen.  

Crimson

Merlin139 said:

Post both pictures on twitter for M&S to see making a point of asking why whatever store it was was selling milk 3 days out of date. Copy in your local council for Environmental Health Department. That will most likely produce a far better response.

It should also produce a visit from the Environmental Health inspector to the store who will go around and look for DEF (Date Expired Food)

Thanks Merlin139 but it's not what I would have done - I know it was definitely unintentional and just an error.

Crimson

mr_stripey

Deleted_User said:

Thank you for all your replies.  I was disappointed but, have to eat humble pie now.  After contacting them I recieved a 'no reply' email telling me that they will refund the whole cost of my food shopipng on the receipt which included the 58 pence milk.

I have replied thanking them and apologizing.  My email was polite when I expressed my concern about an e-card refund (? 58 pence)  and, to be fair, M&S are very generously refunding, not just the milk, but the cost of the other food items purchased at the same time.

I'm suitably chastened and, now, really embarrassed - I deserve it.  I am sorry, M&S, and I know It was a mistake. As jon81uk rightly says, mistakes happen.  

Crimson

Merlin139 said:

Post both pictures on twitter for M&S to see making a point of asking why whatever store it was was selling milk 3 days out of date. Copy in your local council for Environmental Health Department. That will most likely produce a far better response.

It should also produce a visit from the Environmental Health inspector to the store who will go around and look for DEF (Date Expired Food)

Thanks Merlin139 but it's not what I would have done - I know it was definitely unintentional and just an error.

Crimson

that's exceptionally generous of them - fair play

yksi

I see both sides. 3 days out and still on the shelf is absolutely unacceptable. The price mentioned indicates it was a single pint, and in my experience, those are very poor sellers and the store would be VERY WELL AWARE that they often get to their date without selling. They would be checked every single day and reduced or removed accordingly. Getting missed for four days running? Wow. That's M&S dropping the ball, even if customers rearranged them.

Supermarkets are very sensitive about such mistakes because one of the big four was handed a multi-million pound fine for getting it terribly, terribly wrong across three stores in Birmingham a few years back. It's a social media nightmare and a real fear for the bigwigs. Head offices just never stop banging on about rotation and food waste and checking and double checking and checking again and documenting it again, and again and again.

M&S's offer is a kind one. And huge points to you for acknowledging it in this way. As others have noted, there is no health risk from drinking the milk and as long as it smells fine and isn't curdling, you'll be fine. Milk is really handy in that way.

Lesson learned: look at the dates when you're buying things