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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to do my next lot of food shopping at M&S food?

188 replies

OccasionalNachos · 09/04/2020 12:03

It’s actually my nearest food shop, in 5 mins walking distance.

I haven’t been in physical proximity to anyone except DP and DS since 11 March. None of us are ill.

I am not of the opinion that ‘essentials’ means bread, milk and veg - food is essential. I like M&S food products and can afford to keep the economy and stock turnover going a bit.

I will not be dawdling, chatting to anyone or handling any products that I don’t purchase.

I miss their hot cross buns: before social distancing and lockdown began, had been working my way through the different flavours.

AIBU?

OP posts:
swishthecat · 09/04/2020 14:53

For some reason this has really annoyed me.

I know what you mean, I feel like that too. Most of us are doing our best, a minority will always take the piss. To have some police officer making that sort of threat is not on, and he is over reaching himself by seveal miles.

LakieLady · 09/04/2020 14:57

You are all BU because I now have a longing for M&S lemon and lime Jaffa cakes and my nearest decent sized M&S is 12 miles away.

There is a small M&S at a petrol station fairly close, but it doesn't sell lemon & lime Jaffa cakes.

wowfudge · 09/04/2020 14:59

I can't get a food delivery for love nor money. Last one we had was two weeks ago. We now need more fresh stuff. Fuck it - I'm going to Waitrose when I finish work although Tesco is closer. I don't normally shop in Tesco anyway.

LonesomeRange · 09/04/2020 14:59

I wish I could go to an M&S. Don’t feel bad, you are diverting demand away from the big stores that most people need. I am not prepared to only buy essentials either. I’m working on the front line p/t and otherwise strictly adhering to the social distancing rules and Baileys, chocolate and wine are all helping to keep me sane.

MzHz · 09/04/2020 15:03

M&S is our weekly go to, with top ups at Tesco on stuff M&S don’t do (lacto free range, big bags or rice etc)

Mostly the items you buy there mostly aren’t more expensive than Tesco’s, or if so, not by much but the quality is higher

It’s really only if you’re buying prepared meals etc that it gets a bit silly

Michelleoftheresistance · 09/04/2020 15:05

Shop where you like.

I won't go near M&S any more because of their reviews that require brain bleach and the whole place now seeming seedier than a back street in Soho, but hopefully their pet wankers are not bothering with the hot cross buns in the food aisles.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:12

Is this some sort of an attempt at a humble brag where you view M&S food to be superior to that of other shops? If so, I don't want to burst your bubble, but you've been sucked in by their marketing. It's a food store - nothing more, nothing less. Nothing superior about it. I suggest you stop falling for ridiculous M&S advertising which attempts to suggest luxury. Nothing luxurious about a packet of spaghetti - be that from Lidl, Aldi, Tesco, Waitrose or M&S.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:15

As for hot cross buns? Seriously? 'These are not any ordinary hot cross buns, these are M&S hot cross buns'. FFS lol.

MzHz · 09/04/2020 15:15

Oh and if you’re going to buy your essential stuff that you need for the week etc in any supermarket for fuck’s sake buy whatever the fuck you like!!!!! That’s what the shop is there for and buying an Easter egg when you’re buying your required shopping is no different to buying a tube of toothpaste. It’s keeping someone in a job. A thing that’ll be a lot fucking rarer on the other side of this virus.

Businesses are suffering, Customer levels in the wholesale and retail sector have dived off cliffs and if people only stick to bread, water, hair fucking shirts and bunting, there will be nothing left when this thing has passed.

There are far too many virtue signalling and look-at-me-performance-pandemicers frothing at literally anything remotely reasonable at the moment and they’re not helping. They’re adding to this nonsense for their own need for validation. I hope to god when this is all over they get back to being rational humans, but the rest of us have long memories...

By all means, don’t go out with the sole purpose of buying something frivolous, DO plan and shop responsibly but buy whatever you want and can afford to because the alternative will only increase your suffering and we none of us need any more of that.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:16

PS - you're a marketers dream. Wink

ilovemyrednosedaymug · 09/04/2020 15:17

As long as it is your weekly shop it doesn't matter where you shop or what you buy. You can buy an Easter egg or wine or whatever with your weekly shop... but you shouldn't go out just to buy a bottle of wine.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:19

Did you know that up to 70% of the price you pay at the till is marketing/advertising/packaging.
That's why Lidl/Aldi are cheaper. They don't have to pay the excessive costs associated with a heavily advertised brand. They market their name solely. And the quality of Lidl food or Aldi food is pretty high considering the price points.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:21

If she or anyone else fancies a bottle of wine, they're perfectly reasonable to do so.

Nanalisa60 · 09/04/2020 15:21

M&S food hall has been great for doing your food shop, I have been going to the one in town the rest of the shop is shut only the food hall open.

They have plenty of lovely food.

Lynda07 · 09/04/2020 15:23

For goodness sake, you can buy food at M&S if you want to, no different to going out shopping anywhere else. I don't go out at the moment and order food from wherever I get a slot, however with M&S I think you order and collect.

A local BP garage has an M&S shop and delivers, I've bought some nice things and bargains.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:23

I find M&S to be pretty useless to be fair. They stock nothing that you'd ordinarily need/want. Just a lot of fancy packaged stuff - same as you'd buy anywhere, with none of the necessities.

Deux · 09/04/2020 15:24

Crikey, Balmy, I had no idea.

Alsohuman · 09/04/2020 15:24

Our M&S is a delight right now. No queues to get in and shelves full of nice food. I’m very happy to pay over the odds for that. And their Apple hot cross buns are to die for.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:25

Although I'm sure their milk comes straight from the cow's udder into the carton you buy it in...……. Oh bless. People have more money than sense sometimes.

EndIsNigh · 09/04/2020 15:25

I've just got back from my local M & S. Horrible experience. Took over 2 hours due to queue in get in store and then food hall. Once in, social distancing out of window (including with staff) as no one way system and lots of aisles being restricted whilst restocked.
Also stuck most of the way round with coughing elderly lady Shock.
Won't go again. Small Co-Op near me was more controlled and reasonably stocked.
(Did get DS some Percy Pigs though. Hope we don't get arrested)

Goldwispa · 09/04/2020 15:27

If we run out of milk etc we go to the local M & S it's a lot quieter than Tesco.

JudyCoolibar · 09/04/2020 15:30

He clearly says he will ask police to check the contents of baskets

No he doesn't, he implies that they might start doing this if people don't behave

Not so, he says they will certainly do it. Which was a daft thing to say given that the police don't actually have power to do it.

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:31

Well Goldwispa - rest assured that that's not any ordinary milk you're consuming, it's M&S milk!!!

Balmytissues · 09/04/2020 15:34

If anyone checked my basket, they'd be forgiven for thinking that I had a household of raging alcoholics. I tend to buy alcohol in bulk, to save me paying extortionate prices from the corner shop for the same items. God help me if I'm stopped on my alcohol shop haha. I'd be dragged off to the nearest Priory clinic lol

Alsohuman · 09/04/2020 15:36

No he doesn't, he implies that they might start doing this if people don't behave

Just rewatched it and this is exactly what he says.