‘Very expensive’ supermarket becomes the nation’s favourite for the fifth time. money news

Marks & Spencer has been crowned the country’s favourite supermarket for the fifth year in a row, despite being “quite expensive” for the average shopper, according to a survey.

Which survey by the consumer watchdog organisation? The survey revealed that Marks & Spencer’s in-store customer scores reached the highest at 78%, with shoppers awarding it five stars for customer service, store presence, product range, and availability.

It was also praised for its labels and the quality of fresh food.

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However, it only got two stars for value for money – one shopper said, “It’s nice to shop there for something special, but it’s quite expensive.”

A low score means it missed Whose Recommended Provider (WRP) status.

Affordable shops aren’t what they used to be’

tesco Ranked joint first for online shopping – behind M&S with a customer score of 76% – with Waitrose (81%). Tesco received high praise across a number of categories and did not score below three stars in any of them, including value for money.

Although it ranked highly, Tesco also missed out on WRP status because its Clubcard loyalty discount is not available to everyone.

Aldi was the only supermarket to receive the WRP badge for in-store shopping, matching Tesco’s overall score of 76%, and it, along with Lidl, received the highest rating of four out of five stars for value for money.

At the other end of the table, customers ranked Asda and Morrison joint-last for in-store shopping; both received a score of 68%. Asda also came last for online shopping (71%).

One customer said Asda was “not as good as it used to be,” while a Morrisons shopper said, “It’s not the cheapest and it looks quite old-fashioned.”

‘Weekly shop out of reach’

Reena Sevraj, which one? The retail editor said: “There’s no doubt that shoppers value M&S for its in-store experience and product quality. However, some feel its high prices put it out of reach for the regular weekly shop. Instead, it has become a destination for the occasional gift or yellow-sticker bargains.

“At a time when households are under immense cost-of-living pressure, Aldi continues to lead the way on value – focusing on affordability rather than frills.”

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Commenting on the ranking, Asda chief customer officer Rachel Eyre told Money: “We were recognised as the cheapest supermarket for a big shop last year, and we’re making progress in the areas that matter most – better availability, unbeatable value, and a strong in-store and online experience.

“As a result we are seeing improvements in our internal customer satisfaction data and are focused on becoming the number one choice for families again.”