Have to buy food with alcohol in M&S now?

[DedalusBloom]

How new is this as a policy? I tried to buy 3 cans of gin and tonic ( they're currently on offer at 3 for £6) and was told very snippliy by the woman at self checkout that I had to buy a snack to go with them.

I questioned it and she reiterated that I needed to buy some food, and was pointing at the chocolate bars by the tills.

I didn't need or want any food ( in fact I'd just eaten) so I put the cans back and deprived them of a sale.

I wasn't planning on chugging them one after the other on the train home, for gods sake -they were going in the fridge as I prefer ready mixed to home measures so I don't go too mad

I asked another member of staff about it on my way out who said yes, it's the local council's policy. But the previous week I had bought wine at Sainsbury's two doors away with no problem and was unchallenged.

It's not the biggest deal in the world but it does seem a bit Nanny State-ist seeing as I could have gone to the pub opposite and drunk all night without eating anything!

Has anyone else had this or have I been living under a rock?

@Thatstheway yet you take the time to comment?

Yeah sorry, I had a rough day at work helping people who are trying to feed their family on $20 a week!. Moaning because you have to buy a packet of nuts with your drink Just rubbed me up the wrong way. I will step away & take the dog out.

@BikeRunSki

^ However, people generally don't sit around at stations drinking ( as far as I know - even when I was a teenager I used to go to the park!) so not sure that there is cause and effect from public drunkenness at the station itself

IME, people really do hang around drinking in stations

Well yes, smackheads and the like IME ( mostly working at Clapham junction for years) do but I doubt they're Marks' target demographic.

That seems really stupid. They have no way of knowing if you'll eat the crisps/nuts/choc. I think I would have just bought something useful like 6 eggs. Wonder if that's OK!

Lol! It was Clapham Junction I had in mind!

This made me laugh! As if a packet of crisps is all that stands between civilised drinking and getting paralytic on platform 4.

It’s a Richmond thing, been saying that for years at the M&S

God, I’d LOVE to be buying some M+S cans and have someone insist I also get a snack. You lucky woman.

@Thatstheway no need to take it out on a perfectly nice poster who just happens to be talking about something you deem insufficiently worthy. If you're looking to snap at someone, it's not hard to find various bullies, racists and assorted other dickheads on here who are far more deserving of that kind of rudeness.

@Tulips2019

It’s a Richmond thing, been saying that for years at the M&S

Interesting! I'm in and out of Richmond a lot but usually use the bigger one, so this was news to me.

If M&S are you going to make a habit of this, they need to come up with some suitable crisp pairings, like kebab with extra raw onion flavour.

[quote JesusInTheCabbageVan]@Thatstheway no need to take it out on a perfectly nice poster who just happens to be talking about something you deem insufficiently worthy. If you're looking to snap at someone, it's not hard to find various bullies, racists and assorted other dickheads on here who are far more deserving of that kind of rudeness.[/quote]
Calm down love, I already said sorry

@BikeRunSki

^ However, people generally don't sit around at stations drinking ( as far as I know - even when I was a teenager I used to go to the park!) so not sure that there is cause and effect from public drunkenness at the station itself

IME, people really do hang around drinking in stations

I see loads necking it at stations.

Yes this happened to my friend at M&S Richmond around 7 years ago iirc. She was not best pleased!

@MiddleParking

God, I’d LOVE to be buying some M+S cans and have someone insist I also get a snack. You lucky woman.

Well I was going to abstain from crisps today, but M&S made me buy them.

Next time I’d recommend adding an M&S coronation chicken scotch egg (or 3)! Delicious!

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

If M&S are you going to make a habit of this, they need to come up with some suitable crisp pairings, like kebab with extra raw onion flavour.

What about cheesy chip flavoured crisps.

@ElaineMarieBenes

Next time I’d recommend adding an M&S coronation chicken scotch egg (or 3)! Delicious!

What is this sorcery??

I would 100% go for cheesy chip crisps.

I bought 4 bottles of wine in m&s on Saturday. I didn’t buy any food. I didn’t want food. If they’d ask i would have left the wine at the till and go to Tesco

I’m going down to the M&S at the station right now so they can insist I buy those ready salted combo mix with the little wheels in

@AuntieJoyce

I’m going down to the M&S at the station right now so they can insist I buy those ready salted combo mix with the little wheels in

"TAKE MY MONEY!"

I bought 2 cans of gin and tonic at M&S in Victoria station yesterday. Nothing else. It must be a posh Richmond thing.

That's so strange. I bought 6 bottles of gin from M&S last Christmas. Just gin 😆 No problems and we're in Surrey too (different county though).

Calm down love, I already said sorry

I'm perfectly calm thank you, sweetheart