MARKS and Spencer food hall has lots of delicious options to choose from – but are some things better value than others?
Known for its enticing adverts and moreish meal deals, M&S Foodhall is a popular shopping destination whether it is a weekly shop or a special occasion.
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Over the years the retailer has earned a loyal following but it has also gained a bit of a reputation for being on the pricier side when it comes to a food shop.
However, with the cost of living leading people to shop around to get the best deal, retailers are having to be more competitive with their pricing and M&S is no different.
So if you have been thinking of an M&S shopping spree but want to make sure that you are getting the best value for your money, we have done the hard work for you.
What to buy
Bread, milk and pasta
We did a price comparison on staples such as bread, milk and pasta and found that M&S is the same price as discount supermarkets when it comes to these items.
A medium white sliced loaf in M&S costs 75p, which is the same price as Sainsbury’s, who are currently price matching Aldi on this item.
This was the same for two pints of semi-skimmed milk which is priced at £1.25 in all three stores.
M&S also matched Sainsbury’s on a 500g bag of own-label penne pasta which was priced at 95p in both stores.
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Meal deals
Look out for meal deals as they are very good value and also good quality too.
Whether you prefer Asian, Italian or Chinese cuisine there is something for everyone and there is usually a meal deal to be had.
A current example is a £12 Asian meal deal that includes two mains and two sides.
Usually the dishes cost around £5 – £6 each, but taking advantage of this deal means that you get each dish for £3.
Another example is a pizza £12 meal deal where you can purchase to pizzas and two sides.
If you were to purchase the pizzas outside of the offer they are each priced at £6, so it is worth taking advantage of the special offer.
Offers vary in-store and are limited to certain periods.
Chicken
Just a few weeks ago M&S was 12p cheaper than Aldi on their chicken wings.
Although that isn’t the case anymore, there still isn’t a lot in it.
M&S Oakham Gold Chicken wings are priced at £1.65 for 750g which equates to £2.20 per kg.
While Aldi and Sainsbury have 1kg of chicken wings for £2.19, making them just 1p cheaper per kg than M&S.
It is worth keeping an eye on the price of chicken as M&S regularly offer discounts in-store and it appears they are making more of an effort to keep their prices competitive.
What to avoid
Colin the Caterpillar
Most people are familiar with the iconic Colin the Caterpillar, and at some point may have bought one are at least tried a slice.
And if you are familiar with Colin it is fair to say that you will probably be familiar with Cuthbert, Aldi’s version.
While both look very similar and get similar reviews when it comes to the taste test, there is no comparison when it comes to price.
Aldi’s Cuthbert is priced at a very competitive £4.99 and Colin is usually priced at £9.00 but it is currently marked down to £7.20.
So if you are looking to celebrate and also save a few pounds Aldi’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake is the one to go for.
Alcohol
M&S has a wide selection of alcoholic drinks, with everything from wines and spirits to beers and cocktails in a can.
They do have their own range of wines and sometimes have offers on for multiple buys.
A bottle of M&S classics pinot grigio is currently priced at £8, and while it was not possible to do a like-for-like comparison, Aldi is stocking a bottle of pinot grigio for £5.79.
We also priced up Prosecco and M&S La Vita Prosecco is priced at £8 whereas an Aldi comparison comes in at £6.25.
Larger supermarkets do generally have more choice and therefore more offers available, so it is always best to shop around for the best deal.
One woman did the same food shop in M&S and Lidl to see which was cheapest and the results surprised her.
In a separate video, the savvy woman compared the price of eggs in six of the largest UK supermarkets according to the prices listed on their website.
M&S came out as the cheapest at £1 for six eggs, followed by Aldi, £1.19, Waitrose, £1.25, Asda and Sainsbury’s, £1.30, Tesco, £1.40 and Co-Op, £1.55.
