Anyone noticed that M&S has very little Xmas food?

[Daffodil101]

Just that really. I’ve been in twice and there’s a definite lack of range in comparison with the past.

I don’t mean the shelves need restocking...I mean there’s not as much to buy. No novelty Xmas cakes, far fewer puddings, etc.

Ahhh I went in on Saturday and thought it had all sold out... Couldn't find brandy cream or a yule log. And the salad stuff I wanted for Boxing Day had sell by dates for the 22nd Dec. Put my basket down and left.
Rethinking my last minute panic buys...

I've seen piles of Yule logs and other stuff. In more than one branch

Agree. Much less than usual.

The selection does seem narrower this year.

I agree, we used to do our xmas shop in M&S but last year we realised there wasn't much choice and the sell by date were 22/23/24 Dec we did our shop today in sainsbury's and got everything we needed.

I'm giving M&S a miss for the first time ever this year, it just doesn't feel like it has anything to offer that the other stores don't also have. It's a bit sad really, I love my M&S Christmas Eve trips but there's not much point if I'm not getting something special.

I got loads of stuff 🤔😂

I've also given m&s a miss this year. A shame, really, as it's our usual go to for everything at Christmas but the selection has gone crap for some reason.

Too much money spent on their jumper advert has left no money in the M&S Food budget! 😆

Nooo im going to M&S today for my Christmas food shop... Gutted!

They do have Yule logs but TBH, the Sainsbury’s ones look much better. Also I’m going to a party tomorrow night and I have to take two puddings - I could only find one (£20 😳) pudding that looked suitable; wanted to take something different, not their run of the mill stuff. Their festive pudding range was on the end of an aisle and it was very limited.

I usually buy their novelty fondant cake - we’ve had an igloo and a Santa in a chimney in the past. They didn’t have any at all this year.

I also noticed they didn’t have much Christmas decoration stock (a few boxes of baubles left). Do you think they scaled down in anticipation of a hard Brexit?

They seem to have run out of a lot of stuff but that’s probably because of pre ordering

I thought it was strange that their free from yule log looked beautiful, but their yule log was just meh...

I went to a local shop for a birthday cake to be told there was a shortage, i then went to their newly reopened enlarged food hall a few miles further...and it was absolutely jam packed with the relevant cake. I think they had been pulling stock out of ‘old’ stores for their reopening

Sorry

They had masses of deserts and cakes and food...much more than anywhere else

Yes, I normally buy lots of Xmas bits and pieces from M&S. This year I've been in a few looking for party food and I've only found a couple of the warm snack selections. Very poor compared to past years.

They had much less in the food to order as well. The veg we normally get was not available to order, we didn't want the luxury selection. I have had to make a separate trip to buy veg!

I usually buy their party food at Christmas.

Had some a couple of weeks ago and it was very "meh". Had some Sainsbury's party food last week and it was much better! Disappointed - I usually love M&S food.

Perhaps they ordered less with the number of people supposedly boycotting them after the fitting room fiasco.

Well I'm certainly boycotting them for that reason, haven't set foot in there since...

Wondering if they are investing less in food now because of the future plans with Ocado

Iceland is the same,went in today and they only have a few bits.Nothing like what they had in previous years.

I've been in frequently (it's dangerously close to my office) - there were no turkey available, of any sort, for Thanksgiving (28th November). Normally there is no problem getting my breast of turkey for an after-work TG dinner.

There are lots of crisps including their "seasonal flavours" ones - prosecco and other weird flavours. But shortages of regular crisps (that we actually like).

VERY short dates on things like hummus.

Big shortage on olives unless you want the ones covered in garlic or chilli (I want plain please - don't care whether stone is in or out).

Far less seafood items than normal - most years there are lots of lobster halves, and coquille St Jacques and other treats, this year there was a very sparse selection and very low stock of what they did have.
Strangely, a huge amount of cheese this year. Very large packs too - like a half a wheel of Shropshire blue. but then they fill large amounts of fridge space.

I wandered in earlier to try and grab some party food but it was busy and shelves were almost bare. I might try again later before I go home, but I am resigned to likely not having things this year and having to make my own.....

VERY short dates on things like hummus

Same for all the supermarkets this year

I like to get the food as early as possible there is a specific cheese from waitrose we want...went in on about the 12th and it was dated 21/22. Went back in on the 19th and it was dated the 24th...had to go back in on the 20th!!!! I don’t set foot in the shoos on a Saturday in December
usually

And marks flapjacks, only just in date!

Oh and a lot of veggie meat replacements have gone

I don’t generally eat them but i do like Linda M sausage rolls At Christmas and although ive got some there is a weird dearth of the general stuff in some shops

Its almost as if they think no one wants veggie food at Christmas

I've been stocking up on my gluten free stuff they reduce it at Christmas because more people buy it for guests

My son worked in marks on Christmas, and had to bravely put reduced stickers on food whilst fending off Christmas eve bargain hunters. I wonder if they have altered the quantity of seasonal items, and adjusted supply/use by dates to avoid a lot of reductions?