Is M&S the best grocery store in the UK?

[@suehurst8574]

The best thing I like from M&S especially at Christmas is their luxury Christmas Cake! All their food is of high quality! I love shopping at Sainsbury's too! Have a safe trip back to Florida! 🍾🥂❤️

[@KateBues]

Just done my Marks and sparkes haul already for New Year’s Eve now ! About recovered from the jet lag finally ! Have a fabulous New Year Katie ,Zara and Jason

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Hope your Marks and sparkes NYE food was nice, I’m sure it was. Happy New Year!! X

[@cf1137]

I've been 12 years in America, and M&S food is still one of the things I miss most from the UK!

[@gilscot100]

Number one thing I miss from the UK is M&S. As a teenager in Scotland (that would be 55 years ago 😂😂) having a Saturday job in M&S was the most coveted as part timers were treated exactly the same as full time staff (Boots the Chemist was second). My best friends SIL worked at M&S from her early 20s until she retired in her late 60s. As a retiree she still gets employee discount. Nothing in California compares, nowhere does the big variety of prepared dishes. About 16 years ago Tesco opened supermarkets in California called “Fresh and Easy”. It was all Tesco brands and so exciting for us as they sold back bacon, British style sausages and cuts of meat. They also had a good variety of fresh prepared dishes. Americans did not take to it. Suspicious of a brand they did not know. I kept telling friends to try it and some did, and liked it. Two did not. Their objection….. the fact that the staff member at the till/register did not pack the groceries 🤣🤣🤣. It was the first grocery store in our area that had auto checkout. Unfortunately Tesco pulled out pretty quickly in 2013.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Ah that’s such a shame they pulled out. I would absolutely love M&S in Florida but like you say I don’t think it would work, the British food is just so different. I have heard that the old contracts in M&S used to have very good benefits but I doubt it would be like that now for the newer members of staff, nothing ever is 🤷🏼‍♀️ The prices are so good here, never really noticed before but now I’m in the US it’s obvious. Wish I could bring one of everything back 😍😂

[@Flissygirl]

Omg! I’m from Australia, and I’m so jealous of all the food so far and I’m only about 11 mins in. Some of those ready made meals look so yummy.

[@TechWithChris-w6r]

M&S is known for sourcing premium ingredients and maintaining high standards in their products, which makes their food feel truly luxurious. Like you, I’ve never had a bad experience with any of their food-it’s all amazing. Happy New Year! 🍸🍾 x

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Everything is so good isn’t it, I want to take one of everything home!! Happy New Year xx

[@rachelgoold2627]

M&S is the best, love you’re vlogs as always, Happy new year to you and your family love from Wales xxx

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Thank you for watching. Happy New Year to you too xx

[@GillianMac-j3h]

Katie you’re making me want to pop to M&S just now, looks delish. If i ever lived outside the UK it would be one of the shops I would most miss. Quality is always great at M&S. I think in the UK we are very lucky with our high street shops.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

I must admit I would love M&S in Florida, we had it in Qatar so I could always get my fix. The UK does have some better quality high street shops your right, better than the US for sure x

[@GillianMac-j3h]

@@Katiesfloridalife its just about finding new brands you like isn’t it, the market place you were in recently looked really nice & publix looks good. The choice in the states is fantastic. I’ve really looking forward to visiting Orlando in late feb. We have a night & full day pre cruise so definitely planning on a shopping trip to Disney Springs. Katie if i see you when i’m there i’ll come & say hello 😊 x

[@sarafoster388]

I live in France, and have just returned from our annual visit to friends & family in the UK. We always shop in the M&S food hall, it is our annual Christmas treat to ourselves 😋

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Perfect Christmas treat, I hope you had a lovely time and enjoyed your Christmas M&S food xx

[@nanimoku2550]

It reminds me of Trader Joe’s but with a much larger selection. Happy New Year, Katie!

[@Katiesfloridalife]

I really need another trip to Trader Joe’s, I’ve only been in there twice!! Happy New Year xx

[@justinelynch5816]

My gosh. I’m nearly 57 & I can remember when Marks and Sparks first started selling convenience food. I think ready made sandwiches were a novelty in the 1970’s … gosh how old does that make me feel !!! Back then, even though I was lucky enough for my family to have been blessed financially .. it was still a treat when Mum ( who would never do her weekly shop there). But sometimes she would come home with Marks and Sparks treats😂😂. In fact when I turned 21 and was a young single mum, my own Mum did me a M& S shop as a treat ❤❤

[@Katiesfloridalife]

It’s always been a treat shop hasn’t it, up until recently where I hear people do their weekly shop there now. The food is always really nice, I’ve never been disappointed. Thanks for watching xx

[@markphillipson768]

40 Years ago every Mall in Canada had an M&S, probably because us Brits missed our Treats. Few and far between now but we have many Specialty Shops for our Fix. Have a Happy New Year.🎉

[@Katiesfloridalife]

We had M&S in Qatar too, the food section wasn’t massive but it was enough for a fix like you say!! Happy New Year xx

[@Buddydog24]

Can’t beat a bit of M&S ! Anwen

[@Katiesfloridalife]

It’s the best isn’t it 😍😍 x

[@caroleflynn761]

Really enjoyed the M and S shop and everything is so reasonable. We have many shops like that in America but the prices are much higher. Thanks Katie.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Yes I’ve noticed how reasonable the prices are, such a shame it isn’t like that in the US 🤷🏼‍♀️ x

[@lizgosney2453]

Love M&S for food, and it’s more affordable than you think, especially given the quality of the products.

[@darrony3221]

Glad u enjoyed you're m&s fix Katie. I work in a foodhall down south so it was like a bus man's holiday vlog for me 😂 the Burger Spring Rolls in the pizza deal are lush 😋 loving the vlogs as always

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Ooh I didn’t see those, are they like the cheeseburger spring rolls in Magic Kingdom?? I might have to go back for them. You were probably watching the vlog thinking I look at this stuff everyday 😂 thanks for watching still x

[@darrony3221]

I haven't had a magic kingdom spring roll....yet, but it's worth a go 😉 my family like them anyway

[@annavaneck_]

Great to see something different. You didn't show the Tea section or did I miss it 😅 Bringing back (fresh) meat like the Patè may not be possible. You have to check the US page. I wanted to bring some Salami with and it's prohibited. Same goes for fruits. Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year 🎉

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Someone else has just said the same about the Pate, I will have to check the rules. I will just have to eat it before 😂😂 I did show a very quick shot of the tea section but not in good detail. Happy new year to you too x

[@hayleybowen941]

I think you could treat your American viewers to the delights of B&M!

[@Katiesfloridalife]

I think they would love it 😍😂 we have a massive one near us so I could do that! X

[@modernbobber1231]

I just saw a little M&S display at Target today. Unfortunately the employee told me it was only for Christmas time.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Yes I noticed the M&S stuff in Target a few weeks ago, very small selection though. Hopefully they will have more next year x

[@BeachBumsk8]

The dream is to have an M&S here in FL, along with a Daylesford and a Ralph’s Coffee shop

[@Katiesfloridalife]

M&S in Florida would be amazing. I’ve never heard of Dayleaford before, is it a food shop? We had Ralph’s coffee in Qatar so I’ve tried that before x

[@julesvlogs2222]

How did you know!??? Loved M&S when I lived in the UK. 😊

[@julesvlogs2222]

You can get pate in some publix, it’s in the deli area in the same place as the Brie and fancy cheeses usually.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Oh I will have to look for it when I’m home, I love pate 😍

[@willdatsun]

its better than iceland/tesco/aldi/lidl/sainsburys, but a lot of is rebranded stuff , same as Waitrose, read the labels, lots of food additives, seed oils, dextrose , artificial sweeteners etc, someone gave my mum some m&s biscuits, the tin was nice but the ingredients list read mode like a laboratory manifest. The biscuits were pretty horrible. For better food , leave all the supermarkets behind and go to a farm shop, an organic or biodynamic farm. We have loads of them here in Sussex, but in many areas especially cities, peoples only experience of food is ultraprocessed supermarket food, even their vegetables are wrapped in plastic and probably sprayed with stuff, it lasts a suspiciously long time compared to real food straight from the field. So many people are ill and the poor quality supermarket 'food' is probably one of the main reasons.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Unfortunately farm shops are few and far between in the north east, and the ones I know of are not in the town so unless you have got a car it’s out of reach for a lot of people. I do like to shop locally when I have the opportunity and of course eat fresh food but I always thought M&S was a little better quality than some of the other supermarkets x

[@franleejay]

We love M&S Food closely, followed by Waitrose . And although both are more affordable than they used to be for a weekly shop , they are still much more expensive than the major supermarket chains . Hope your UK trip is going well.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

We don’t have waitrose up north so I’m not familiar with their prices but yes M&S is more than most supermarkets here. We’re having a lovely time in the UK thank you x

[@jenwnb9428]

Being on the east coast of Canada, we only like cod fish! Further inland it’s haddock. If I had an M&S at those prices I would never cook. So many quick and easy ideas. The prices are amazing compared to here! Many years ago we did have Marks and Spencer clothing stores here in Canada.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

The prices are really good I agree, it used to be much more expensive than other supermarkets but not now. I would love to live close to one as I would definitely do my weekly sho there. X

[@kakarikiyazoo]

Careful with bringing meat products back to the U.S. as most are restricted. In the U.S. we don't have a national chain like M & S. You would have to combine several, like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to get similar, but still not the same. The chain that gives me a similar feel is the New York only Morton Williams, although they do more fresh made as opposed to pre-packaged. Target is an example of a U.S. store that started as clothing and homewares but added groceries later. They have their own brands for some foods and could go the route of expanding that. They really have only been the grocery game for less than 20 years though.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

I did know that some foods are restricted in the US but I assumed as long as it was packaged it would be ok, I’ll double check the rules before I put it in the suitcase. Yes M&S isn’t like anything I’ve seen in the US but I think it would do so well, but not sure they would expand into the US. There is plenty of other choice though so we don’t do without in Florida that’s for sure xx

[@kenmck17]

Have to say yes as the wife works there 😂

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Haha yes or you will be in trouble!!

[@karenrobinson129]

It's by far the best for food.

[@Katiesfloridalife]

It sure is 😍

[@louisecasanove761]

Love M&S food. The clothing section not so much. Do you miss our English shops? X

[@Katiesfloridalife]

Yes I think the clothing is hit and miss but they do have good PJs and underwear for all occasions. I wouldn’t say I miss the shops in the UK now I live in the US, I did when I was in Qatar though as we didn’t have the selection there x

[@lucylockyer9209]

Do check before taking pate etc back as I know a lot of foods are restricted, especially meat and fruit….n Orlando there was a sniffer beagle in immigration who would always find crew wi5h bananas in their bags…..you know what crew are like…ooh I will pop a piece of fruit in my bag for later 😂😂

[@Katiesfloridalife]

A few people have said this.. I just assumed I could take it if it was sealed. I need to check the rules as I will die if the sniffer dog comes up to me 😂😂 x