To think M & S are taking the absolute p... with Dine in

[petitfromage]

Popped into M & S to buy the usual Dine in £12 for two. Lovely food and a great option that we use regularly.

It's now £15 for what is basically EXACTLY the same thing in slightly different packaging with Tom Kerridge's name on it. That's a 25% price increase. Are you kidding me M & S?? I don't seem to remember inflation suddenly jumping up overnight...

A few years ago it was £10 for 3 courses including a bottle of wine. Then they took the wine away. Then they increased it to £12 but no wine added back in. I felt £12 was a lot but the food quality was good... I just feel this is a complete p-take putting the food in different packaging with a celeb chef name on and thinking we will pay 25% more for the privilege. Well I didn't and I won't.

I presume a chunk of this has been paid to Tom Kerridge for his branding. I'm sorry but I'm not bank rolling your lifestyle.

Am I just being a stingy northerner or have M & S completely effed up one of the best things they did and will find that there is a barrier to how much we will spend on a ready meal we have to cook ourselves and they have just hit it??

Me neither. Sod the food, I'll grab a Zesty White from Tesco for £3.49.
Vege options are always shite

I don't seem to remember inflation suddenly jumping up overnight...

Inflation is still present though. The annual inflation rate is 5.7% and that's coming on top of the astronomical price increases we've already had. So the monetary value of the increases we're seeing now are that much higher.

Take the £10 meal deal. A 5.7% increase to £10 is £10.57. But, in 2022 inflation was 11.1%! So that meal deal was £11.11 by that point. In 2023 inflation was 7.9%. So that's another increase. Not of 79p, because our base price has already increased. A 7.9% increase is now 89p. So now we're at £12.00. Now in 2024 annual inflation is "only" 5.7%. But what cost £10 two years ago is now costing £12.00, so 5.7% of that isn't 57p - it's 69p. And that gets added to the already inflated price and you get £12.69.

I agree that £15 isn't good value for what they're offering now, and I don't buy that particular deal any more. But you can't have failed to notice that we did indeed have crazy inflationary hikes starting in 2022 which pushed up the price of everything. The ONS has calculated that food shopping has gone up by 25% from 2022 to 2024.

Throughout that time I actually found that m&S prices overall were much more stable than the likes of co-op, Morrisons and Tesco with their £8 jars of instant coffee and all that nonsense.

That meal deal isn't great but prices for staples in m&S were much easier to navigate than the big supermarkets, over the past few years.

Just my view, but it seems like they're trying to transform and offer reasonably priced basics (their veg, chicken & eggs etc are very good quality and on par/cheaper than other places now), I guess they're subsidising this by increasing the price of other stuff which is a shame. I looked at their Xmas food to go and just couldn't believe the prices; genuinely cheaper to get stuff from the local butcher and greengrocer which is much nicer quality when it didn't used to be that way!

Ah, it’s the Gastropub meal deal and only five of a huge choice of dishes are Tom Kerridge. It looks like decent value to me.

We haven't bought one in years. Mainly because they have such an odd mix everytime I go in. For example all that will be left is paella and mash. We did used to get one most weeks instead of a takeaway. Now I make do with a jacket potato or beans on toast.

Are these not essentially ready meals just with fancier packaging?

I could get two dishes from my local Indian for the same price 😅

If people are stupid enough to pay £15 for what is essentially a ready meal (they are) then M&S will continue to increase their prices.

I went in yesterday and had a look for something easy for dinner. The £12 thing was there, alongside the new £15 Tom Kerridge one. BUT the were literally NO vegetarian (let alone vegan - and I live with one, so very annoyed about this) main course options in the £12 thing. All meat. I asked a member of staff, thinking maybe they were somewhere else but she confirmed that no, they didn't have any. I genuinely think this is mind blowing.

Also, I spotted a vegan sandwich that was £4.25. For a fucking tiny sandwich.

The TK meal deal looks pretty good to me.

Oh I miss my M&S treat. DP would cook it and I liked the zesty veg.

Ah well.. not lining TK's big pockets

The pizza deal is loads better. £12 for two pizzas and two sides. And some of the sides are really good (and big!)

Yes OP it’s the gastro pub meal deal. https://www.marksandspencer.com/c/food-to-order/dine-in#Menu

i think it’s pretty good value. The GP range gives large portions and really nice flavour and cuts of meat.

Last time I went to Wagamama and had the duck donburi and it’s £19!!!

That used to be £13. Food prices gone up everywhere.

I really loveM&S though. Their animal welfare standards are amazing too. Only one found without horse meat during that horrible scandal a few years ago and I know a turkey farmer who said they check everything to be certain of the conditions and welfare. They’ve been supplying for 12 years solely to M&S.

So IMHO, you get what you pay for.

I don’t drink so wine is of no interest!

Not that much though- M&S was a tenner with wine at the same time Tesco did the same deal. Tesco went up to £12 still with wine, M&S 12 then 15 both with NO wine. Fair enough the food is a little better but not enough to make me buy it now - Tesco it is!

Some areas seem to have dessert! I saw someone posting on a Facebook page the other day and they'd got a fancy chocolate cake with it

Tesco can suck my cock tbh with their shitty three tier pricing and sub-par food.

Co-op too, turning their dividend scheme into yet another tier pricing obfuscation.

I’m finding that everything is going up and up in price. Fish and chips from the chippy is now £25 for two around here.

Yep, 25% increase in two years for grocery shopping.

It would be here if one portion between us wasn’t ample. The fish is enormous, it’s like half a shark.

Maybe there is one there?, I really should know though lol as its my place of work🙈. So it's like an £8ish deal for me.

Oops quoted the wrong post.

Yes that's where I'm going to try having been a very loyal m & S dine in-er! But might try Co-op as well, never thought they'd do a meal deal. And I remember trying Cook ages ago and thinking it was really good...

It more cost effective to order takeaway or buy the ingredients an cook.

You’d be horrified at Cook’s prices if you think M&S is expensive.

They're so good but I definitely hesitated when I picked the packet up!

Co-op have some great stuff. Their profiteroles are fantastic.