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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think M&S are Christmas crap?

76 replies

CadburyFestiveFriends · 21/12/2019 07:34

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!

OP posts:
ArkAtEee · 21/12/2019 11:17

I've had the same this year and also a friend who lives in a different area had the same too. Very bad, M&S.

BozoBahHumbugScroogesItUp · 21/12/2019 11:18

Still boycotting....

AllergicToAMop · 21/12/2019 12:55

Is it really a use by date or sell by or best before?

Ninkanink · 21/12/2019 13:03

@BozoBahHumbugScroogesItUp me too.

halcyondays · 21/12/2019 13:12

Mince pies are fine several days past their date, it’s a best before not a use by. They still should have reduced them before their date though.

I’d never eat anything past its use by date. Of course people are going to look to the back for the better dates, I’m sure some people are doing early Xmas dinner but probably not enough to account for all the short dated stuff.

I find you need to go from the 22nd on to get good dates on fresh stuff ( we try to buy other stuff gradually before then) but even then you have to check the dates carefully or risk ending up with a “use by 24 Dec trifle” which for some reason they have loads of.

Gardai · 21/12/2019 13:28

Still boycotting but prior to this I noticed this with food dates, ridiculously short. They said it was because we were in Ireland 🙄
And the food is full of salt and butter, look at the ingredients and compare.

emojisarentwords · 21/12/2019 13:44

It just means they have less chemicals in the form of preservatives in the food

misspiggy19 · 21/12/2019 13:50

The dates are short because they don’t pump their food with artificial crap to make it last longer.

FlamingoAndJohn · 21/12/2019 13:52

The dates are short because they don’t pump their food with artificial crap to make it last longer.

I could make mince pies from the ground up using entirely natural ingredients and they would last longer.

PsuedoSatisfactionBaby · 21/12/2019 13:53

DH got the shopping on Thursday night and said exactly the same...came back almost empty handed. He gets a food shop there every Thursday night and says it’s been getting progressively worse. Literally nothing in stock dates beyond 22nd/23rd. I feel they are going to have lots of wasted stock. To be fair I was in Waitrose this morning and it was the same...looking to make spag ball on Boxing Day and the mince was all best before 22nd/23rd. All their party food was dated pre Christmas! And I scavenged around at the back of the display too to find the better dates. There were none Blush

Snufflesdog · 21/12/2019 13:56

Fresh food doesnt last forever.

People stock up before Christmas like it’s Armageddon, leaving supermarkets with limited stock

Quick someone alert the newspapers to these new stories

OlaEliza · 21/12/2019 14:18

What do you think people did before stuff came in packages with dates on op?

NameChangeNugget · 21/12/2019 14:23

I’ve been really lucky. Waitrose and M&S have been well stocked and all with good sell by dates

NightsOfCabiria · 21/12/2019 14:45

YANBU

I find Sainsburys do this too. ALL the time. They send me milk, bread, salads, fruit ALL with same day or next day expiry dates. I just send them back now and tell the driver why.

I blame the pickers in this instance, taking stock from the top/front.

When i go shopping myself, i have a good root around at the back of the shelf to ensure i get the freshest ... which isnt normally very fresh at all.

I dont know what the answer is, bar shopping in waitrose or Harrod’s Food Hall. Ive just done a shop in Waitrose and theur mince pies expire January 2020 and the double cream expiry is the 28th. Much better but pricey.

Original poster
CadburyFestiveFriends · 21/12/2019 15:02

It just means they have less chemicals in the form of preservatives in the food

Really? 🤔
I’m pretty sure it means their supply chain is slow and mince pies produced in October are now sitting on shelves with people avoiding buying them cos the dates are shit.

Whatever the reason there’s no excuse for massive food waste and poor management.
I went to Waitrose today and had similar problems - so much with 22/23 on.

I ended up in Sainsbury’s and just about managed to get what I needed. I’ll be making my own (additive/preservative free) Dessert though as couldn’t find any chilled ones 👍🏻

OP posts:
nokidshere · 21/12/2019 15:14

I don't think I've ever looked at a date on a packet of mince pies. And with any food, dated or not, the same applies, if it looks ok and smells ok it probably is ok. Apart from shellfish I wouldn't be concerned.

AhoyMrBeaver · 21/12/2019 15:20

5 days in advance is a bit optimistic for fresh things. M&S is less likely than other supermarkets to have long dates, not more likely.

Nat6999 · 21/12/2019 19:21

Morrison's & Ocado are fairly good with use by dates, most things have at least a week to go on them when I get mine delivered.

BaubleTheLumpOfCoal · 21/12/2019 19:45

I noticed this in Asda today OP.

The party food all had Christmas Eve dates! Bloody annoying when I'm not hosting until Boxing Day, meaning I'm going to need to go to the shops at least once more before Christmas in hope of getting the snacks.
If not, I'm going to have to go on Boxing Day - which is just horrific.

They've got to be doing it on purpose.

BaubleTheLumpOfCoal · 21/12/2019 19:47

Just to add, the shelves were all full.
Just with things going out of date on the 24th.

Frustrating Angry

npowerarebastards · 21/12/2019 19:53

Last year two people I know bought turkeys from M&S on Christmas Eve without realising the use by was 24th. I mean that's pretty bad - yes they didn't check but the turkey is for Christmas Day obviously!

DobbyTheHouseElk · 21/12/2019 19:55

This is making me so nervous I’m planning a trip to M&S tomorrow morning.

Original poster
CadburyFestiveFriends · 21/12/2019 19:55

@nokidshere

Totally appreciate that but it’s your choice. DH and I (except during pregnancy) generally do a sniff test and use dates as a guide rather than rule.

I won’t however serve out of date perishables to guests. Especially ones with weakened immune systems like elderly/children - or my sibling who suffers an immune compromising disease.

OP posts:
HappydaysArehere · 23/12/2019 12:33

Just been to M&S to buy cream etc. In date only until the 24th or 25th. Wanted to make a trifle so no good for us. Asked if they had any later dated and was told they can’t get more out until they had sold what was on display. Tried to be helpful by suggesting I came back tomorrow! I went to Sainsbury’s and got what I wanted as all the cream was dated the 2nd January so did the rest of my shopping there.

HappydaysArehere · 23/12/2019 12:35

PS want to say thank you to Sainsbury’s for being customer friendly.