M&S — Is It Still Worth Your Wallet? The Buzz (Good, Bad & Tasty)
By Keto Mbiri
Marks & Spencer — the British retail institution that’s been part of UK high streets and weekly shops for generations — sells everything from gourmet food and wine to fashion, homeware and beauty. For some people, walking into an M&S store still feels like a treat; for others, recent experiences have been… frustrating, to say the least.
Right now, M&S has hit headlines for things like viral new PJs and affordable beauty bundles — plus a gluten-free Colin the Caterpillar cake launch that had shoppers buzzing after years of requests. But behind the fresh drops and photogenic food halls, customers on review sites paint a mixed picture.
⭐ Real UK Shopper Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Love the food and fashion basics”
“The food hall is great, especially unique items you won’t find everywhere. Clothes quality is good for the price.”
⭐⭐ “Online orders are a nightmare”
“My order got cancelled even though it showed in stock — very frustrating and a waste of time.”
⭐ “Customer service lets it down”
“Sent back an item and getting my refund was overly complicated — calls took ages.”
(Reflecting common themes from recent customer feedback.)
🧠 My Take (Straight-talk UK Shopper POV)
Marks & Spencer still has big strengths that keep millions of Brits coming back:
✨ Great food selection — real quality and new exciting launches like wool pyjamas and beauty bundles that go viral.
👗 Classic fashion and homeware items with timeless appeal
💷 Decent returns and refund options if you follow guidelines.
But the warts are real too:
⚠ Online shopping and delivery can be patchy — stock, cancellations and courier hiccups are common themes.
⚠ Customer service experiences are very hit-and-miss — good luck getting through quickly when things go wrong.
⚠ Fashion and food quality isn’t consistent across every product — check reviews for specific items before committing.
Pro tips:
📍 Use Click & Collect if possible — it often avoids delivery issues.
📍 Keep receipts and tags handy for smoother returns.
📍 Follow promotions and new releases — M&S still drops some very decent deals.
Here’s the no-nonsense breakdown of the questions real UK shoppers are Googling before buying clothes, food, gifts or online orders from M&S.
