AIBU to think open bakery items in M&S are unhygienic?

[Guthealing]

Went to m and s on the way home - it was busy. I was absolutely shocked at the bakery area and then nearer the front of the store a table with unpackaged loaves of bread ?

As it was after school there were children there and I saw 2 touch some of the pastries , people were looking at them talking and breathing all over them and one woman coughed 🤮 the loaves of bread at the other side were being picked up and put down , a child was moving them about, how can this be hygienic??! Why is the bakery area not covered in some way? I usually go to Waitrose and their bakery items are in a cabinet at least. M and s isn’t cheap so why are they not more hygienic!!!!

I mean, there is absolutely no indication that M&S bakery is going to make you ill

I’m in total agreement. I’m like that about cakes on display in cafes. I will always go for the ones behind glass.

I agree,I always think that and would never purchase because of that.

Not open likem&s or Sainsbury’s like the rolls but if there’s like a flap like Lidl and there are lots as opposed to one or two then yes

It’s absolutely and utterly disgusting!! The one local to me has less protection even than the local Lidl ( which are in flip top containers). Last time I was there I spoke to the baker about the fact a parent had let their child grope several of the pastroes, croissants etc and he just shrugged and said they are aware - but apparently head office insists on it being open. I think it’s crazy and it drives me nuts because I love the pretzels and loaves - but they aren’t exactly washable !!!

I do agree with you that it could be covered up and parents could keep their darlings from touching things and wiping snot on them but their cheese scones warmed up with Lurpak on are to die for, so if I die, it was worth it.

Omg - I’ve found a kindred spirit! I love M&S food stores, but I absolutely loathe the open bakery. I have only ever bought bakery items when they have just been put on the shelf (and I have witnessed them being put on the shelf). I cannot understand why anyone wants to eat bakery items thay potentially have been pre-mauled, smeezed on, coughed on, flies on etc. it’s so unhygienic!

Children picking their noses and then having a rummage through the donuts.
People touching items having not washed their hands after using the toilet.
The OP asks if it's unhygienic. I think it is.
You are entitled to disagree. There are reasons behind the food hygiene certificates eateries are awarded. There are reasons people are educated about food handling.
You'd find it very hard to prove you got ill from a bakery item, but I'd rather not take the risk.
I am not anxious about my health in general.

Americans clutch their pearls at the way bread is displayed in UK supermarkets. Also eggs not being in a fridge. I’m fine with both.

As I child, I once saw a woman coughing over the bakery bread in Sainsbury’s and it put me off for life.

Speaking for myself, I'm not remotely anxious about this stuff and I'm never ill. There may be a pattern here ...

Maybe, but when I eat a currant, I want to be sure it's a currant.

Me neither, and it's a bit silly of posters to make out the posters who don't choose to eat food in an open display, because of all the reasons given in this thread, are neurotic in some way.

That's Marks and Spencer for you.
Things ain't what they used to be 🫆

Someone should report them.to their local Council.

Health and Safety,/Trading Standards Dept or whatever they call themselves.

I feel the same way about sausage rolls that are just left on a counter or display. Not in a fridge. How long have they been sat there at room temperature ?
Greggs I believe don’t even have their trays behind the counter heated. Which is why you can buy a lukewarm slice. Not a hot one.
Rubbish really.

As for Marks, they cosy ‘real bread’ on a kitchen table vibe is lost versus hygiene. Flies on your food. No. Not even for a moment.

Tiime was when everything was on sale in the street, meat, fish veg. No-one died.

The reason Greggs don't have "warm" counters is VAT. Thanks to a stupid VAT rule, if they keep them warm, they'd have to charge the extra 20% VAT, but if they allow them to cool to ambient temperature they don't have to charge the extra 20%. Utterly bonkers. Same with other baked products and also cooked chickens - keep a cooked chicken warm and it's VATable, put it somewhere where it will cool, even if it's sold hot straight out of the oven, it's not VATable. It's not whether you're selling it hot or cold, it's whether the shop keeps it warm that determines the VAT status.

TBH I’m surprised it’s allowed any more under food hygiene laws

So am I

I'm the very last to want everything swaddled in plastic, but just behind a screen would do, or even if the stuff was inside paper bags

Well actually, before food hygiene lots of people died from diseases like typhoid, cholera, salmonella, e-coli and dysentery.

You don't get any of those things from sweet bakery

I don't love it , same with unmanned buffets and salad bars, but I have wolfed it down all the same and survived to tell you about it.

Couldn't agree more.

This very day, I saw a man pick an item up-with the servers-sniff it by shoving it literally under his nostril and put id down.

I do not want to buy anyone's nose hair, snot, tiny pieces of faeces or nail dirt and anyone who does must have a little want somewhere.

Put them in packing, you dirty skanks!

Of course they did!

Ha ha, surely that's all part of the joy of Christmas!

I’ve brought this up at my local M and S. A few weeks ago I was in and the French bread sticks looked lovely displayed in a big container. I watched a couple of builders from a local site handling the bread-sort of ‘squashing’ the ends as if seeing how they felt-and leaving them in the container. I know that hygiene on building sites isn’t a number one priority so it made me feel quite sick to watch. It doesn’t really matter who is touching them-no one should-but this just brought it home. I mentioned it to the lady on the bakery and she shrugged her shoulders and said she’d mention it to the manager.