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??

Freezing doesn’t destroy ‘goodness’ in food. It does the opposite.

It doesn't look like it. I think it's replaced it

What about the great Northern supermarket that is Booths - please tell me no horse meat!

I remember exactly 5 years ago you could get the two curries and two sides deal for £10. Now the exact same deal is £15. Ridic!

I tend to get spice tailor kits now and a bit of meat and veg from somewhere else and make my own curries

I think this will bankrupt the Co-op. I have bought 4 so far. The rose alone is £8. Yum! In fact the Co-op has some amazing membership deals (they do five frozen items for £5 saving £8-9 - usually includes 2 savoury items like fish or chicken or pizza and chips and frozen veg and ice cream)

In their March trading update M&S said that their "Dine in " sales have increased by 40% so they can cope with a few people flouncing off

Interesting and makes sense. People are cutting back on eating out and takeaways but still want a treat.

I used to buy nice sandwiches from there all the time but now I buy their tiger rolls and sandwich filler and make 4 for the same price. Still feels like a treat because the quality is so good.

Not sure about horse meat,but Booths were closely involved with Loscoe Foods who were found to be relabelling very rough stuff in very unsanitary conditions according to the press and food standards agency.

Co-op

2 "irresistible" mains, including steak, paella, moussaka.
1 side
1 bottle of wine

£10 to members currently.

I have been living on these since the deal started. My freezer is stocked up. The wine is actually alright!

FWIW the meal deals aren’t always cheaper - the wines included are often the cheapest or the beer is in smaller bottles than standard and they include a starter or dessert that you usually wouldn’t bother with or is a “luxury” brand which is in reality no different to the basic one.

We tried Morrisons last week, £9 with a more card. No wine but Main, 2 sides and dessert.

I'm ok with unsanitary.

Ok, this is a curry dish but please tell me which of these ingredients are "additives"

@CalloftheWind they do. Their staff discount is good too, 30% off own brand items makes it fantastic. Please don't bankrupt them, I need my job 😂

I'm literally cooking a spice tailor curry right now....😁

They are pushing their suppliers to go UPF-free: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/mands-in-tricky-talks-with-suppliers-over-upf-ingredients-in-eat-well-range/694629.article

The non-listed ones, or do you think this shit keeps for days on end without additives and preservatives? Like you expect them to state what antibiotics and medications they give to their M&S livestock? Yeah, right. Interestingly, they say - don't eat it if you have a milk or egg allergy - but this wonderful dish contains neither, right?

I forgot that they used to do wine too. Yes when you think about it 15£ for 2 for dinner is a bit of a crap deal actually. Wouldn’t buy it now.

Don't look at the prices of many of the things in the new Christmas magazine then. Flicked through and it's made me determined to splash out on a Christmas dinner out for once. Can't wait to be waited on for once. There wouldn't be that much difference in cost and no lists, no people pleasing, no peeling veg, no thinking of the logistics like timings, oven space, enough chairs, no cleaning up afterwards.

And their "Finest" lasagne is the absolute best!

Celebrity Range of anything is a huge turn - off.

It’s 100% certain, regardless of what is claimed “endorsement interviews” that the celeb has about zero to do with the end-product. The price is hyped and the quality is not.

For Months Jamie Oliver cookware was in discount shops, Mary Berry same.

M&S think all customers are sheep-idiots with lots of spare cash

I used to work for the Co-op. I am a big fan.

Agree it is too much. £12 was what I was willing to pay. Won't be buying it anymore. Only a few quid more to get a takeaway.

This is the point of the Coop though, no share holders so members can get good deals and give subsidies to local organisations like veterans' organisations, food banks, community organisations etc.

The members elect their board members according to what the candidates policies are ( a third of members (re)elected each year ) and vote on what they want to give to etc. The foodbank I collect for eg got £10,000 last year so did the veterans.

We've had the moussaka, the paella and the posh man and cheese so far. The rose wine is lovely.

With respect Tesco food isn’t as nice at m&s