Marks & Spencer review

M&S is known for selling high-quality food at a premium. But does it deserve its reputation on either front?

In the annual Which? supermarkets survey, 164 M&S customers rated the retailer on everything from queuing time to food quality and value for money. 

This enabled us to work out star ratings for different factors as well as an overall customer score.

Are M&S stores any good for groceries?

M&S takes the top spot

M&S is the number one supermarket for in-store shopping again this year in our survey. 

Five-star ratings for the quality of its own-label and fresh produce, the appearance of its stores, and its staff availability and helpfulness make M&S the best in-store supermarket for these aspects along with Waitrose.

With a customer score of 77%, M&S finished some way above discounter Aldi and also Waitrose, which came joint second in our in-store supermarkets table. But Aldi is still way ahead in terms of value – it was rated four stars out of five for this vs a poor two stars for M&S.

M&S received a good four-star rating for its stock availability, range of products and queuing times.

One happy customer said: 'Very neat layout, everything is fresh and of a higher quality than other brands.'

Another added: 'Always a pleasure to shop in my local food hall. Fruit and vegetables are top quality, and the frequent offers are most welcome.'

Although M&S came top for in-store shopping overall, we haven't made it a Which? Recommended Provider this year because of its two-star rating on value for money.

• Find out more: see how the big players compare in our guide to the best and worst supermarkets.

Does M&S sell online?

Marks & Spencer sells clothing, beauty and home products through its own website, but if you want to order M&S groceries online you'll have to use Ocado (Ocado.com). 

The online-only supermarket has been selling M&S food and drink since September 2020, when it switched from its previous partnership with Waitrose.

Ocado and M&S have come under fire in the past from some shoppers who noticed that items can sometimes be priced differently in M&S stores than on the Ocado website. 

You can get some grocery items delivered from M&S Food stores at BP service stations through the online delivery service Deliveroo.

• Find out more: is M&S one of the UK's best clothes shops?

M&S in the news

In January 2023, after a long legal battle, the high court ruled in favour of M&S in its challenge of Aldi's copycat light-up snow globe gin, saying that Aldi infringed its design. Aldi said it intends to appeal the decision.

In the same month, M&S announced that it would be opening 20 stores across the UK, including in Stockport and Barnsley. The total include 12 new food halls and is part of its three-year investment plan to make sure it has the right stores in the right places.

In December 2022, M&S said it had donated a total of 50m meals to charities across the UK through its partnership with Neighbourly, which helps businesses make a positive impact in their local communities.

In a bid to reduce food waste, M&S announced in July 2022 that it would be removing best-before dates from more than 300 fruit and vegetable products, which make up 85% of the produce it sells, including apples, potatoes and broccoli.

• Find out more: what supermarkets are doing to help with the cost of living crisis.

Which? Affordable Food for All campaign

Which? has launched an Affordable Food for All campaign after it found millions of families are skipping meals to survive the cost of living crisis. 

In an innovative new study, undertaken with researchers from the Consumer Data Research Centre at the University of Leeds, we've identified 50 of the most at-risk areas for finding affordable food in the UK.

We're calling on supermarkets to commit to clear pricing, better access to budget ranges that enable healthy choices and more offers for those who need them most.

• Do you want to see supermarkets take action? Sign the petition.