M&S LOSING THE PLOT

I have long been a fan of M&S, growing up in Leeds where the store famously began as a market stall but I must say a recent visit just about topped me over the edge.

For a while now I have begun to be irritated by the overly chatty staff on the tills, friendly and polite is one thing but when they are having a full blown mothers meeting (which seems to be more often than not these days) holding everyone else up, it really gets on my nerves.

M&S have also got into the habit of pushing biscuits at the till, only a pound is the pitch but with the obesity epidemic in the UK worsening it really makes me question the motive of the brand steering customers to high calorie, high margin, highly processed snacks. Selling them is one thing but agressively pushing them onto people who may not have the willpower to say no....not good.

It seems M&S are also in the business of capitalising on selling reuseable bags at £1.00 each. I get offered one everytime I go there. Even though I regularly take my own basket (trying to do my bit re the plastic bag problem) I always am confronted with the staff then seeming to judge me, like I'm too cheap to pay the pound and offering me the 5p (not good for the environment) option. Come on Marks you either want us to re use and recycle or not. Like most of us I guess they want to have it both ways.

The final straw for me was when I went in store to discover everything I usually buy had been moved and I couldn't find what I was looking for. When I approached a member of staff for help, he explained they do it to give the customer an opportunity to browse the store and experience other products and it's a regular thing. As I was talking to him saying that it was very annoying not being able to find anything he replied that a lot of customers didn't like it. Go figure.

In light of Marks and Spencers recent very disappointing results, drop in profits by 10% which although admittedly was for non food, it may be time to take a really good look at the way they are doing business. Even though I do love some of the food products, if they carry on like this it won't be long before I am completely turned off.