To think M&S are Christmas crap?

[CadburyFestiveFriends]

Went to a very large M&S last night to do the Christmas shop with DH.
The shelves were full but all of the Christmas ranges had 23rd/24th.
The ‘normal’ ranges had even less than that, most the 22nd (2 days!!!!😡)
^ Most of these products were not freezable - not that we have the space anyway and we are hosting through to Boxing Day!

DH picked up a pack of 9 fancy mince pies (not reduced) and realised only when we got home they had yesterday’s bloody date on! So they were selling them unreduced on the evening of expiration - you at the least expect shelf food like that to have a good few days/week on them- I’m tempted to return them and complain.

Now I do understand ‘either buy it or don’t’ but AIBU to think that as a ‘high end’ supermarket you expect a little better than this just before Christmas ^

(I’ve noticed it through the year too and have mentioned it to staff several times - whole sections filled with perishables that have that same days date on!- what use is that to anyone? We have elderly, pregnant, small children and one immune compromised guest so I’m not taking the risk serving food over use by.

I love the food but after last night I’m tempted to just stop shopping there for occasions- it’s so so disappointing, the atmosphere was awful as other shoppers were equally annoyed by it and places like Sainsbury’s and ASDA never seem to have the problem!

I will buy and freeze because then I know I’ve got them. It’s too risky to turn up on 23-24 to buy fresh items in date because they’ll quickly run out and I might end up with none.

A few years ago M&S had a sell by date and a use by date. All out of sell by date items were sold to staff at a reduced price.
OP certainly should return the mince pies as they should not have been sold out of date.

@MrsMoastyToasty thanks, like I said I'm a little cynical! I used to work in a different supermarket and this was done there. The perishable items dated 25th onwards were put out at a strategic time to maximise sales. Another theory would be that the factories making these items can't make 90% on one day! So it's spread over the weeks before so a lot of the dates will be earlier than the 25th...

Found the same yesterday in M&S. So much with the 22nd on them. Loads of Brussels sprouts in plastic bags looking not great and short dated. Managed to buySome on stalks dated the 27th so removed them from stalks and popped them in a paper bag when we got home. Other than that found parsnips needed to be sorted out and found two in date for Christmas but was lucky as most were only dated to the 22nd. I asked if they had loose ones but no they didn’t have them. Why all this plastic? I am going back on Monday in the hope I can get some cream to last long enough on top of the trifle! I realise they have to get rid of stuff before the next lot is put out but why not reduce them and give shoppers an option?

I think it's also because M&S food doesn't have a many preservatives in it - which is a good thing.

I went early this week to pick up various treats for the festive period & found it all hugely disappointing. Far too many "party food" trays of brown stuff for reheating, and not enough nice alternative desserts etc.

And a rubbish choice of cheeses.

M&S has gone way off...

I bought pigs on blankets from M&S dated 26th on Wednesday. I got some veg yesterday as well.

People do still eat in the run up to Christmas though! I know lots of people having family get togethers this weekend as they’re elsewhere for Christmas itself.

It's still pretty early for doing the Christmas shop. You wouldn't expect to pick up a butchers turkey today and have it last until Thursday.

When I worked there pre dc. People use to dig for the stuff behind leaving the rubbish dates

Surely that's normal behaviour in every single supermarket, of course people will be taking the later dated stuff first. It sounds like M & S might have supply issues or haven't got their orders right. Personally I wouldn't be bothered about mince pies but frustrating about the other food.

Other than meat, cooked rice and fish, why bother taking notice of expiry dates? Mince pies don't suddenly become inedible when the clock strikes midnight. You can keep a jar of mincemeat forever. If something looks and smells ok, it's fine to eat. I can't believe that supermarkets are even allowed to put expiry dates on fruit and veg.

I often "dig behind" for the better dated stuff.

If they don't want to sell it before the earlier dated stuff then it needs to not be out!

Use by is not the same as Best Before, you all know that, right? They're completely different legal and safety measures...

I visited a small MS in a far flung region during the week past. They were indeed stocking Christmas fare. From what I could see some dates where early for some stuff. But for the big ticket item, the turkey, they were 26 December.

I assume they are putting stuff out on the basis that some people may do lunches and dinners this weekend. The big stock will go in again. It was being bought up.

The party food and December items, like mince pies, can be stocked from early on. I bought some stuff in November for a party. Obviously they can’t be kept for weeks without freezing.

I give a YABU to expect to get fresh food for eating on Thursday on the Friday before.

They reduce their food from about 4.30 on the day . You get great hauls.

No sherry until tomorrow in my local

I’m so glad you posted this. I bought some M&S vegan mince pies. I didn’t even think to check the date as everyone else’s mince pies are good until January.
I’ve just looked at the date was the 16th!

Asda had really short dates last year with most fresh stuff expiring before or on 24th. Not wanting to have to go on Monday or Tuesday I chanced it last night and the dates were much better

I noticed this yesterday too. I think they're going to put the stuff out on Monday

I often wonder if M&S actually want to actually make money and this refers to clothes, online shopping and food alike.

Ffs. I just realised the minced lies I bought are expiring today. I don’t know whether to risk it or just chuck them out. They’re so sugary they should be fine though. Surely?

What do you think might happen if you eat mince pies a few days of of date?

How many million tons of food are thrown out because people have no common sense ???

They aren’t on their game, my local store was the same as yours yesterday. Mind you, neither are Waitrose who had lots of short dated food as well. The M&S food looked less appetising then what Waitrose had

Lots of people want things like pigs and blankets and party food for meals well ahead of the 25th though , I think it’s too early to shop and expect the dates to be ok for Christmas

@slashlover

I’m talking about their ‘Christmas’ range which is all stuff not in production year round.

It would be pretty straight forward to produce say 50% up until the use by dates met 26/27th. What’s the point in producing 1 million prawn canapés with 20th December on them?

Yes there will be some people having pre Christmas events and some people with endless freezer space but the large majority aren’t going to buy them as need dates till Christmas. To be honest I think it’s unethical as can’t even be donated once out of date.

Last night they still had HUUUGE volumes of items with that days date on. It was 6:30pm (closes at 9) and hadn’t even reduced them! People were rifling through them to find better dates, casting piles and piles aside. These were perishable ‘use by’ items so I’m sure a massive amount will have been thrown out overnight. So wasteful.

At the very least they could have reduced in time for the afternoon rush and a few people might have been tempted.

I’m going to stick my mince pies in the freezer. What can go wrong with vegan mince pies anyway?