"We Found A Bit Of Home!" Americans First Time At M&S

[@mccall278]

M&S 'own brand' isn't the same as Asda or Tesco own brand. These are premium products. That are the equivalent or often better than the big brands you know like Heinz or Cadbury. Most people couldn't afford to do a big M&S shop. It's aimed at people on higher salaries. For most people it's a treat to get M&S food.

[@georgeprout42]

I popped into Sainsbury's last week for a few bits of salad, they proudly had "Aldi price match" labels but were out of stock. So I popped into M&S next door. They had stock and were cheaper for the few things I wanted. M&S were also cheaper than the Tesco clubcard price, so it just goes to show you that you need to shop around for the best deals.

[@richardperry1421]

M&s brand equivelent to big brands😆what dumb comment😆😆do you not know that the big brands sometimes make products for m&s along with all the other supermarkets...i say this from 21yrs retail experience

[@chrisaskin6144]

M&S is also aimed at 'poor' pensioners.

[@johnd6487]

M&S have a ‘budget’ own brand now, that is often as cheap as anywhere else (but it’s a much smaller range). And yes, because everyone assumes it’s going to be expensive they often have stuff when everyone else has sold out - we found our local M&S food store could be a godsend during lockdown, but it was the secondary shop after Sainsburys

[@reactions5783]

Everything they looked at in this video was quite a bit cheaper than my Sainsbury's Local though. I realise that's comparing a supermarket to a smaller convenience store, but still, M&S here were cheaper than what I usually pay.

[@pamelawatson2366]

M&S have been the quintessential British brand for ever. They began as a stall in Leeds Market but nowadays are a more expensive brand. Bramley apples are cooking apples so I wouldn't recommend that you eat one raw.

[@frglee]

You can cook any apple but they tend to go brown. Bramley apples were developed for cooking and stay green. They are also large, with a fluffy texture and a stronger acidic taste that needs sugar. Interestingly, Bramley apples seem to be a very British Isles thing, not used in mainland Europe I think.

[@petebennett3733]

@@frglee they are a British thing. Originally from Southwell Nottinghamshire. First seed planted in about 1809 and still going but only just since it has some fungal disease. Also this is the first bramley apple tree from which all others come.

[@blackbob3358]

@@frglee They were indeed "developed", cross breeding etc to last longer. I often wondered if "Tate n Lyle" had a hand in that, because they need a lot of sugar, what ever you do with 'em....Just a thought.

[@karenblackadder1183]

The good old Bramley is the epitome of the British 'cooker' Reasonably sweet, it maintains its structural integrity even when cooked at 180° C/475°F.

[@NicholasJH96]

M&S DO amazing Jeffa cakes

[@patriciaburke6639]

You said Banana flavoured milk “sounds gross” - believe me, it’s delicious! You also commented many times of the products being branded M&S, that’s why people shop there, they don’t sell inferior merchandise, it’s quality stuff. Their food products are also considered to be of a high quality and also offer a variety not necessarily carried in other Supermarket Chains. I’m happy that you seemed to enjoy your visit. (As an afterthought: the small jars of salmon & chicken would be to spread on buttered bread as a sandwich filling, sometimes labelled as: ‘Sandwich Spread’ ) 😀

[@nbclaymore1861]

...or paté, perhaps?

[@patriciaburke6639]

@@nbclaymore1861 Possibly so! To be honest I am not familiar enough with the range M&S Foods sell, as I don’t shop there regularly. I presumed it to be a sandwich filling and to be honest, if it was pate’ I might still be tempted to use it for that purpose. 😋

[@tiggerwood8899]

Way overpriced though.

[@JC-gm3zs]

@@tiggerwood8899 Nonsense. You get what you pay for.

[@tiggerwood8899]

@@JC-gm3zs Just my opinion.

[@claregallagher8550]

He said: "if they get too cold, they go black inside". Sounds like a Yorkshire accent. Also we tend to call the skinny chips fries from the original term of French fries I believe. The potted beef etc. is like a pate that can be spread on bread of in a sandwich.

[@betterhalf6868]

Ok that makes since. No way I would have gotten that. I feel like when we were there I understood him but was still hard

[@carlhartwell7978]

I got the same words as well, though I was thinking Lancs, I'm no expert though!

[@claregallagher8550]

@@carlhartwell7978 me neither. I did debate myself as to which one it was also.

[@andyrjs]

Not Yorkshire, Durham or Newcastle.

[@andybaker2456]

@@andyrjs Yep, my first thought was Geordie.

[@Kari_B61ex]

I love M&S - all the food is really good quality. They sell excellent Christmas and party food.

[@welshcat5781]

Sainsburys and Tesco are food supermarkets with a side line in home goods and some clothing whereas M&S in town centres is usually a department store with more emphasis on clothing with a food hall incorporated. There are also dedicated M&S Foodhalls which just sell their food and tend to be out of town or on retail parks. You will find very few lines which are not their own brand in the food halls, but they have a reputation for quality and are perceived to be a bit more upmarket.

[@davidcook7887]

All that is changing

[@vanessamartin5522]

They do sell other brands, they just tend to sell more up market brands, a bit like waitrose

[@julesarthur4362]

Often the food is the only department returning profits for M&S and hence keeping them from a demise like Debenhams. At mine the 2 floors above the food hall are eerily quiet.

[@jacquelinepearson2288]

Ethan made a comment about M&S being over-branded with their own brand. That is the whole point of M&S - that they sell their own brand in all departments. That's why people go there, otherwise their food department would be the same as all the other supermarkets. Their own brand food is renowned for its excellent quality, but more expensive, so it's not somewhere to do a big shop, but to treat yourself to a few items.

[@antonliverpool1]

I guess it depends on how much £££ you’ve got! I worked across the road from M&S for years and I’d make a point of going before collecting the car, that way I could swipe all the discounted meals and pretend I was fancy.

[@2eleven48]

M&S is now required to display other brands of food as do other supermarkets, from a point of monopoly.

[@jacquelinepearson2288]

@@antonliverpool1 That sounds great! Love a bargain, especially several in one swoop!

[@jacquelinepearson2288]

@@antonliverpool1 That sounds great! Love a bargain, especially several in one swoop!

[@juliecobbina2024]

I still do my weekly shop between marks and sparks and ocardo !!

[@SuzieLady]

I worked at M&S for 10 years. The brand is very much it’s own and known for its quality food. I haven’t met anyone yet that doesn’t like the food. The potted Salmon is a paste that is yummy on bread and butter, a spread. Most of M&S food is better or the same as most brands so you won’t go wrong. The clothes are okay but mainly people go for their underwear lol. They have got more brands in clothes now to attract younger people but I’m not sure it will take off for a while. As for Sainsburys, they are not as good and yet more expensive. Tesco and Aldi are better.

[@louisemiller3784]

Sorry to say but the pre prepared food has gone down. It’s nearly not as tasty as it used to be which is a great shame cause the lentil cottage pie they used to sell was delicious. I find that M and S prepared food is just average no better than any other supermarket shame

[@philcoogan7369]

Sorry I don't care for Marks and Spencer Food, their clothes are good but the food doesn't taste good is over priced and poorly labeled in my experience.

[@blackbob3358]

Seems like a fair'ish "sum up", Suzie. Used to find it ironic that the "money boys" would open a "Penny Bazaar" in their northern stronghold that is Leeds. ( It was an exceedingly wealthy town in those days anyway, wool stock exchange) These kiddies know how to "turn a shilling", alright. P.S. Aye, there were "seething slums" too, before any body bites mi head off !

[@chilli-iceolive-abode2447]

@@philcoogan7369 I'm sure Suzielady will be heartbroken to hear that

[@tiggerwood8899]

@@louisemiller3784 I find M&S food highly overrated and extremely expensive. Mens undies and socks on the other hand are reasonably priced and good quality. I will always buy those. In fact I bought some online a few weeks ago

[@Zveebo]

M&S is pretty much ALL its own brand - it’s the thing that makes it different to regular supermarkets. It’s food is usually regarded as a bit fancier than regular supermarket food, and is generally a bit pricier (though not so much on basic staples). Think of it a bit more like a Whole Foods or Trader Joes than a regular supermarket (at least in terms of foods)

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

Hilariously though a lot comes from the same suppliers as lidl etc.

[@Zveebo]

@@RollerbazAndCoasterDad True, though that doesn’t mean it’s made with the same ingredients or the same way. Same is the case with Trader Joes etc - only certain factories specialise in different products.

[@chilli-iceolive-abode2447]

@@RollerbazAndCoasterDad lol

[@alandillon968]

M&S are one of the more expensive stores and supermarkets in the UK but it has some of the more unusual foods and of high quality. Bramly Appled are specifically for cooking, unlike many countryside who use eating apples to bake with, in the UK we have eating apples and baking apples (Bramly) for cooking.

[@blackbob3358]

T'is Bramley, mr Dillon.

[@alandillon968]

@@blackbob3358 What was the point of this Bob? To Patronise? Embarris? Or humiliate? Or could you just not resist to teach and lecture? Which one was it? Any of them doesn't make you big, clever nor those 2 who ticked 👍. We have left the playground of bullies...grow up! This is just an insignificant chat line of no real importance.

[@Jenjenilou]

Salad cream is the taste of my childhood and it still tastes good on basic salad (again as English salads were back in the day) - crispy cos lettuce, tomato, cucumber, spring onions, sliced beetroot, radishes, hard boiled eggs, ham - that was about as exotic as Sunday 'tea' got back then. Today, my daughter also prefers 'Egg Mayonnaise' made with salad cream rather than Mayo, We always have both Salad Cream and Mayonnaise in the fridge. Salad Cream is VERY British, and it's mainly us oldies who enjoy the taste because it's what we were brought up on.

[@mattsmith5421]

Lol I couldn't be bothered cooking so that's what's for tea - mum. We never had radishes tho we had like a big roughly baguette shaped crispy bread

[@tonys1636]

It's also made from cooked egg so great for those who can't eat Mayo which is made from raw egg.

[@BigKelvPark]

Remember the outrage when Heinz tried to discontinue it a few years ago?

[@slayerrocks2]

It is great with chips as well.

[@Jenjenilou]

@@BigKelvPark Haha yes! There was a great outcry. The thing about Salad Cream is you forget about it, and then you use it and you remember how good it can taste. I even use it when I make coleslaw - just half and half with Hellmann's.

[@slayerrocks2]

As someone who worked for a producer that M&S contracted to make an own-brand product, I can tell you that their standards are so demanding, it made us completely alter our process, before allowing us to supply them.

[@amandapenrose49]

The company I work for packing shortbread and biscuts in Scotland when they started doing biscuts and shortbread for them made the company change our overalls. And a good few of our rules as well like not going into the canteen with our overalls on etc. They are I think along withn the American supermaket chain Walmart the ones that have made us change a lot of things and rules.

[@DNW28]

@@amandapenrose49 one M@S Technical Director changed the whole of UK food industry . He wrote the M@S code of practises , from there every other supermarket follow suit . M@S auditors are hard but fair because they are not M@S employees but self employed consultants whereas I wouldn't give Tesco auditors the time of day because they are employees and trying to make a name for themselves . If I had caught you in canteen ( walkers I presume ) in jacket I would have had you on a disciplinary lol 😂

[@amandapenrose49]

@@DNW28 Yes your right it's Walkers I work for.

[@DNW28]

@@amandapenrose49 I have worked all over UK consulting including up there in your area so I knew who you were meaning . Nice area except I had no clue what the quines were saying 😂😂😂

[@amandapenrose49]

@@DNW28 😁

[@Jon1950]

The prepared meals that you were looking at, which we call ready meals, are not frozen but chilled. M&S has a very wide range, including traditional British, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Thai, etc. Many only require a microwave, but some you need to heat/cook in an oven. Their roast meals for one are excellent, especially the turkey dinner, which is only available leading up to Christmas.

[@GoIdenApple]

Marks & Spencers is a Department Store that just happens to have a food department so is not a Supermarket in the same sense as Tescos and Sainsburys. Their food has a deservedly good reputation like Waitrose, but you pay a premium for their quality. Hope you guys make it to the National railway museum, and the Yorvik Centre come to that. Those big apples are cooking apples for pies and the like, dont try eating one they are as sour as hell

[@davidjones332]

Not always! In some locations M&S have given up fighting against the cheaper high street clothing brands and have relocated to open major food-only shops.

[@citizenpb]

On the contrary, they are a food retailer with a sideline in badly made, ill-fitting clothes that fewer and fewer people want to buy. Food sales currently account for two thirds of their revenue and that share is increasing annually.

[@jensm4026]

That has changed in recent years,I have two v near me,one 2 and a half miles and one less than a mile,and both are purely food. They are a Mand S food store.

[@richardhunter7363]

I used to work with someone who's ultimate fantasy in life was to be rich enough to go to M&S for their weekly shop and not be concerned about the total price. lol. The potted salmon/beef /ham are cheaper versions of a pate so would be used for sandwiches or on toast.

[@alandunbar4244]

M&S is special in that they are a Single Brand Company which has been around for over 100 years. Their price point is slightly higher than most stores due to the focus on Quality. The food section is the most famous in the UK and is a favourite for food associated with Celebrations. Their Christmas ranges cannot be beaten, but then again you do get what you pay for. Homewares which you get in the larger stores are amazing and the range is so diverse. It is also recommended for clothing of a more Smart/Casual or Formal variety. Loads of people get their work clothing and suits from M&S.. and womens underwear is very popular due to the sizing and range

[@tonys1636]

So is the mens underwear, about the only place one can still find the old Y front underpants.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

"Their Christmas ranges cannot be beaten", well Aldi have been beating them for years in the xmas pudding category and several others win the 'best in' other categories, so beaten often but still good.

[@citizenpb]

pretentious folk get their party food from m&s. proper moms go to iceland for industrial size bags of sausage rolls, chicken dippers and mini pizzas.

[@steveglufc]

Pretty much every woman in the U.K. has at least some Marks and Spencer underwear, even my American wife here in Leeds wears M&S knickers!

[@cjsvids8760]

Co-op has been around for over 150 years, almost 160 years now, I prefer Co-ops brands, they're nicer and cheaper than M&S

[@samstockley4588]

I forgot how brand-dominated US supermarkets are, which means you found it all the weirder to see so much M&S-branded products. M&S only has a handful of "brands" like Coca-Cola, etc. but all UK supermarkets mostly centre around an extensive range of their own brands. I found it funny that you thought M&S can't be for all that "high up" a person because it seemed so reasonable vs the US. It's pretty much the most expensive in the UK, so if you did visit any other supermarket, you'd definitely notice how much cheaper our food can be!

[@philipmason9537]

M & S are more expensive than Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl but have superior food and general items. Salad Cream is used as an alternative to Mayonnaise as it’s sharper and more vinegary. European bread is tastier because, unlike most US bread, it doesn’t contain sugar. Also our bread doesn’t contain preservatives and nasty additives which is why it has a shorter shelf life than in America. European eggs aren’t washed which is why they aren’t refrigerated.

[@melvincain5012]

They may be more expensive than Aldi & Lidl but comparable with the rest. I shop at all of them.

[@WatchingDude]

Any loaf referred to as a farmhouse Loaf will always be much taller. That is the feature of a farmhouse loaf of bread. It is very reminiscent of how bread used to be baked more than 50 years ago and some people like it for the tradition as much as anything else.

[@godlovesyou1995]

But all our bread is baked more like that still. In the US it's like square shaped

[@OriginalHandprint]

@@godlovesyou1995 …and loaded with sugar

[@davidrichardson5482]

This is one of my favourite videos of yours, I'm here just chuckling at your enthusiastic conversation over the small milks 😂

[@edwardking8629]

The quality of their food represents the cost , it’s head and shoulders above the rest

[@zachUK]

M&S has the best quality and variety of food of all UK supermarkets, by quite a bit. But you do pay more, by and large. They have some good deals though - like for £6 you can get a complete stir-fry meal : meat/fish/seafood + noodles (several types) + sauce (several types) + veggies (several types). Serves two people and tastes great.

[@tahiti1]

Shhhh don't tell Waitrose that lol!!

[@excession3076]

Waitrose is better, they have in house butchers/fishmongers for starters and far more deli produce. Far better range of fresh produce and a far larger range of cooking ingredients, spices/sauces/pulses/grains/pasta/flour ect. M&S excel at cook chill meals, but then cook/chill meals overall everywhere are pretty crap compared to cooking food yourself.

[@zachUK]

@@excession3076 Waitrose is excellent in many ways, especially wine selection (they even have wine bars in many stores!). But as you say, M&S part prepared meals are notably better. M&S have a lot more of their own brands than Waitrose so that does shrink the variety - but those branded items are excellent.

[@lindylou7853]

Salad cream is what we had before we had mayonnaise. It’s got a more vinegar taste to it. M and S has their own stuff - more expensive on the whole - you don’t go there for tinned tomatoes and toilet paper.

[@citizenpb]

mayonaisse was around long before salad cream.

[@ftumschk]

@@citizenpb Indeed, but mayonnaise was rarely seen in "normal" shops or in "ordinary" British households when I was growing up in the late 1960s/early 70s. Although I was aware of mayonnaise from TV cookery shows - and one episode of Fawlty Towers! - I don't think I'd even _seen_ a jar of mayonnaise, still less tasted the stuff, until I was a teenager. Before then, it was salad cream all the way.

[@ethelmini]

@@citizenpb It goes off way before too. Probably why salad cream was more popular before fridges really took off.

[@citizenpb]

@@ftumschk that may be because you, like me, grew up in a working class household. we didn't have mayonaisse either. i also had no idea what houmous, chorizo, quinoa or an avocado was but they all existed. i still prefer salad cream to mayo.

[@godlovesyou1995]

Tinned tomatoes are pretty cheap there- 45p Milk and pasta are actually cheap too. They want ppl to go there for everyday items, and end up buying the expensive stuff. Most ppl still only go occaisonally tho

[@clarelawton4653]

Enjoying your supermarket series, The huge bramley apples are cooking apples 🍏

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

I used to work in anl tourist area supermarket and you can't stop them biting into bramley however you try.

[@PHDarren]

Bramley Apples are cooking apples, either used for an Apple Crumble, or baked apple (with the core out) and stuffed with currants, served with custard. That sort of thing.

[@auldfouter8661]

Bramley apples are fully referred to as the variety Bramley Seedling. I think a girl planted a seedling and that was what came up . It is the premier cooking apple , with great flavour , especially as it matures in storage. The original Bramley Seedling tree is still alive at about 200 years of age , somewhere in the Midlands and all Bramleys have been indirectly propagated by cuttings from it ie they have been cloned from the original tree that grew from a seed, making the original a new variety ( sexual reproduction). Edit Fruit from the tree in Southwell , Nottinghamshire was first sold in 1859.

[@derekfancett8218]

Bramleys are also, almost exclusively, a cooking apple. They are are rather sharp in flavour, but very appley and they cook down to a beautiful fluffy texture. You would not put them in a fruit basket. The UK is unusual in Europe in having retained a difference between 'cooking' and 'eating' apples and pears. I think those potatoes were chilled (very unusual) because they were pre-prepared ie peeled and/or chopped and they would have 'spoiled' fairly quickly at ambient temperatures. As the name suggests (Marks) one of the founders of M&S was Jewish. M&S has long had strong trade ties with Israel.

[@Jenjenilou]

When I was a kid we would have Bramley apples cored and the space filled up with brown sugar baked in the oven, then smothered with custard. Food of the Gods.

[@doctordunc]

Sainsburys and other supermarkets do have some clothes but not like M&S. M&S is primarily a department store with a food "bit" (although there are quite a lot of M&S Food shops). They push their own brand stuff as being better (certainly "fancier" than the well-known brands. The advertising slogan was "this is not just x, but M&S x"

[@citizenpb]

'this is not just a suit, this is an overpriced, ill-fitting, manufactured in a sweatshop m&s suit'

[@MadnessQuotient]

Those small bottles of milk are great for when you just need enough milk for a few cups of tea every day. Especially if you aren't going to use a fridge (eg you are on a job site or camping). Also if you are a person who doesn't drink so much tea or like it with only a splash, then one of those bottles can last a few days

[@jillosler9353]

And perfect for people who live alone!

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Or if you just want to drink milk with your lunch instead of a can of coke etc.

[@langdalepaul]

Definitely. They will be used to homogenised, ultra-pasteurised milk that lasts an unnaturally long time, so the idea of small amounts in small bottle is unnecessary.

[@Jenjenilou]

They also freeze really well - because they are small they don't take up much room in the freezer.

[@cricketbat09]

M&S has a reputation for good quality food, but it is known to be a lot more expensive than Tesco and Sainsbury's.

[@darrenbuckley2082]

Geordie i think, M&S are considered the more Posh end of supermarkets, loved this tour so far.

[@martynnotman3467]

Not Geordie. Somewhere rural near Teeside i think, possibly South County Durham or Cleveland Hills (Where im from originally)

[@littlemy1773]

@@martynnotman3467 it can be hard to tell, cos the geordies in my family have different strengths of accents esp as they’ve lived away from Newcastle for a long while

[@frglee]

Marks and Sparks food can be a bit pricy, but the quality is very good. I'm very fond of their three bean salad sandwiches, but I usually get them at the end of the day cut to half price if there are any left.

[@martynnotman3467]

@@littlemy1773 im from that area its very distinctively different to even weak Geordie to my ear

[@littlemy1773]

@@martynnotman3467 my dad has been on the Isle of Man 40 years now and his accent has mixed in with the Manx one which is kind of funny. And he’s often mistaken for Manx now as a result . My cousins though have sadly lost their accent, as they’re in london. My dads brother moved to Belgium for 20 years and his accent has always been super strong, weird isn’t it?! 🤣

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

In the frozen section, the pack which said French Fries was by the brand McCain's, which is Canadian. Cut flowers in the UK and much of Northern Europe are either local (like daffodils and tulips) or come from Kenya (irises, roses, lilies, and exotic varieties). Bramley apples are not a desert variety, but a cooking apple. Thus prestine shape is not important.

[@john_smith1471]

In warm weather and warm houses the prepacked small potatoes or new potatoes sweat and go bad very quickly, even loose potatoes need a cool dry place, if you want to put eggs in a fridge you can do, but its just a comfort blanket.

[@katbryce]

Marks & Spencers is the most expensive food store you are likely to find on most high streets. Yes it is pretty much all own-brand, but we would generally consider their products to be a higher quality than the branded stuff in other supermarkets. The clothes used to be a lot better quality than they are now. Waitrose is about the same quality, but cheaper, so given the choice, I would always go to Waitrose. Or of course one of the others for even cheaper still but not quite so good quality.

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

A lot of the products at M&S are made by companies that supply LIDL. See the recent three sisters scandal

[@littlemy1773]

I live in the Isle of Man so we have no Lidl or Aldi. We have Tesco marksies and a local supermarket. For many things marksies is actually much cheaper . They do 3 for £10 on packs of meat, and their own brand toiletries and biscuits are cheaper. 37p for a pack of biscuits I paid last week. If you buy the luxury stuff it’s more expensive,but, Tesco also do finest meals that are dear too

[@michellee7465]

Waitrose isn’t cheap, overall more expensive than M&S, but I prefer the latter for selection. 🤗

[@chokolatelatte4764]

@@RollerbazAndCoasterDad Just because the same company makes things, doesn't mean it's the same quality. Factories make to quality and price point specifications. Same with branded and non branded, ingredients are altered to fit price point given.

[@CowmanUK]

@@chokolatelatte4764 I've worked in factories (3 to date) and most times the product is the same but we just change the label, and the prices change massively. I feel I should add that I've never worked anywhere that made stuff for M&S or Waitrose though.

[@andybaker2456]

At one time Marks & Spencer (M&S) was mainly about clothing, although some of the larger stores had a small food section selling only their own brand stuff. But over the years their food offerings have increased to the extent that some of their stores now only sell food. The branch local to where I grew up was converted a few years ago from mainly clothing to no clothing at all, just food. They do have some branded items now, but their main focus is on their own brand, which is considered to be high quality. I suspect that those potatoes were in the chilled section as it looked as though they had been "prepared", rather than still with their skins on.

[@lynnshorrock1098]

The potted beef, salmon and chicken are used as sandwich spreads as far as i know. M&S really good quality, better than most others. Salad cream has been going for decades, first went on sale in 1914 in UK. Mayonnaise in 1756 by a French Chef and became popular in 1980 .

[@old.not.too.grumpy.]

When I was a child M&S was primarily a clothing store that sold a small amount food in a secondary space within the stores. In the past 20 years they food has become a more important part of there offer. At one time everything in the store was branded St. Michael's. They dropped this branding a few years ago and changed the labels to Marks & Spencer. At the same time they started to introduce other a limited amount of other brands. There food offer is usually more expensive than othere stores and there offer is much smaller than the larger supermarkets such as tesco asda or morrisons. Tradionaly M&S was always a high street shop located in town centers although they have opened alot out of town stores in the past 20 years.

[@rain_down_]

M&S used to only sell its own stuff for many, many years, that's why it's still mostly what you see on their shelves. It's generally a much loved British institution, so funny when I heard you say that they're 'full of themselves' lol

[@gillchatfield3231]

I worked at a bread factory in the summer I was 16. LONG time ago. They did M&S as well as their brand. Everything from ingredients to presentation was higher quality. For example, The glacé cherries to put on top of cakes were much nicer, and had to be placed without the holes being visible! I checked them in our local store for months afterwards.

[@DS-jj5hj]

The man you spoke to about the potatoes said 'if they get too cold they go black inside'. M&S is about 90% their own brand in store and it's a bit posher than other supermarkets, also It looks like you were in a larger M&S store so you can't really compare it to the smaller Sainsbury and Tescos you visited.

[@gillcawthorn7572]

I`m not sure what the remark was when you were standing next to the bottled water ,but it is not bottled tap water. the bottled water comes from a variety of springs in the UK ,so does not have the many artificial additives that is in tap water

[@littlemy1773]

The accent you were struggling with sounded like geordie, and compared to my family that accent was super mild lol. Oh and the banana milk is lovely, it’s like milkshake just thinner

[@briankeniry219]

Aye, maybe they were trying to talk posh, or it was their 'telephone voice'.

[@twistedsister2568]

Sounded like a Middlesbrough accent, which is the soft version of Geordie

[@martynnotman3467]

@@twistedsister2568 it was North Yorkshire/South Teesside border accent. I grew up there! Probably from Between Northallerton and Yarm. It gets thicker towards Middlesbrough.

[@janettesinclair6279]

@@martynnotman3467 All we need now is for the guy to reply to give his location!

[@rain_down_]

Not a Geordie accent, sounded further south and there was definitely Yorkshire in it. Given that they're in York, I guess it's not too surprising!

[@HelenA-fd8vl]

A Bramley apple is for cooking - it is quite sour but makes a lovely apple crumble …

[@chrispalmer2136]

we have a lot of plastic bottles but we also have to recycle them at home

[@samjadragon]

The reason the potatoes are kept in the fridge is for condensation. The bags and the cold air make water droplets appear so that the potatoes are watered and rehydrated. This keeps the potatoes stay fresher and firm but to be honest it doesn't really matter that much unless you have a giant batch of potatoes all together. M&S take it pretty far by using a fridge but most super markets usually put them in under air-conditioned areas.

[@Mark-mu4pj]

M&S is a really good place for food shopping, can be more expensive but also very good food etc.

[@adrianmcgrath1984]

The small jugs of milk are for many people who wouldn’t drink milk, or eat cereal, but need small amounts of milk to make tea with.

[@suzettewilliams1758]

M&S is my second home, I'm a bit middle class now so I get my M&S food shopping from Ocado to the contempt of my brother. Also famous for its knickers (panties "cringe").

[@TheKruxed]

Certainly alot of knickers in a twist round my M&S when I go to pick up the bakery goods and discounted stuff for the local food bank

[@amr5388]

lol the man said "if they get too cold they start going black inside" in confusion over the refrigeration. I think those may have been 'ready peeled' and seasoned, never seen that before.

[@Jee123123]

you can class supermarkets into price ranges and unless your counting Fortnum and Masson (which is extreme case) then M&S along with Waitrose are considered more expensive / posher than the other major supermarkets.

[@tonys1636]

Fortnum & Mason and Harrods are great for finding that unique food product you found on holiday somewhere you now can't remember, but is expensive in the place it is made.

[@dsgrbrowne1]

Potatoes in the fridge is unheard of in any supermarket in UK. The only reason I would think they put them in the fridge, is they were out of stock of some chilled items, and put the potatoes in there, to make the shop look full. Either that, or there isn't any space for the potatoes, other than in that fridge. Or those potatoes aren't very popular, but they have to have the stock available.

[@HanOfGod13]

The little one's are now usually for "just for tea" for small office's and households. Or 1 big / 2 small bowls of cereal.

[@fatsam2564]

the guy said at 6:31 :if they get too cold they will start going black inside. I think that’s a Yorkshire accent but I could be wrong

[@senorf999]

M&S is more like a Dillard's or Macy's that sells food as well and mainly their own brand stuff that they sell. That was a Bramley apple which is used for cooking/baking.

[@PeruvianTreeProductions]

I’m from the U.K. and hate supermarket shopping. Yet I sat here and watched the whole video going “ooh that looks nice”. Haha. It’s fun watching stuff like this through different eyes. I will do the same thing when I go to the US next!

[@lindylou7853]

Israel - started off selling us new potatoes when the ones we got from Jersey in the Channel Islands were out of season. New potatoes are a thing here - the first new potatoes of the season. You don’t have to peel them just wash or scrub them and serve with butter. Then we started getting green beans and now we get those from Kenya! It’s got to stop really. The airlines transport more from produce they ship than their passengers. We send live shellfish to many parts of the world in the hold of the aircraft. Poor little things tied up in elastic bands and strapped into bubble wrap pockets to die in a foreign country and be eaten thereafter.

[@carolinequirk6136]

Don’t forget Pembrokeshire new potatoes, they are the best.

[@lindylou7853]

@@carolinequirk6136 my Welsh uncle grew all his own veg - sometimes with the help of the output from the circus elephants in the summer! We weren’t keen on his runner beans after that!

[@carolinequirk6136]

@@lindylou7853 my grandfa grew all his own veg too, the first new potatoes of the year was good.

[@twistedsister2568]

I put my potatoes in the fridge, they last longer. Could t really hear what her said re was other noise but they sound like they are from Middlesbrough, the north east area.

[@GrahamDixonUK]

M&S Jaffa Cakes are the best Jaffa Cakes you can get. The ratio of sponge to chocolate to tangy orange is perfection.

[@lesleyprescott460]

I totally agree x

[@GrahamDixonUK]

@@lesleyprescott460 I know, right. I offered one to a colleague at work. She said she wasn't keen on Jaffa Cakes, but managed to chomp through half of my packet with a cuppa. She's a concert. I find McVities are too dry, too much sponge and chocolate. Edit: my colleague is a convert not a concert.

[@lesleyprescott460]

@@GrahamDixonUK Lol...I find I could eat a full double pack in one go..they are so moreish x

[@mypointofview1111]

The reason the potatoes were chilled in M&S are if they're left in ambient/room temperature they will go soft & start to chit. When potatoes chit the only thing you can do with them is plant them in the ground. Yes, they will grow from a chitted state and you'll get the same variety

[@lumpyfishgravy]

M&S is pretty good if you can find one. Many have closed. They are slightly more expensive but still value for money and a lot of variety. Nice once in a while.

[@Ionabrodie69]

There’s loads of M&S around.. 🤷‍♀️

[@fatsam2564]

M&S is a upmarket supermarket mostly rich or reasonably wealthy people shop there. Unless it’s Christmas then everyone shops there

[@julialyttle3843]

I used to work with M&S in the Isle of Man. They're a good employer that takes care of their staff. You also get staff discount and the best bit at the end of shift, any near expired food will be sold to staff for next to nothing. All unsold expired foods will go to the food bank. I have no complaints about M&S food, they're really good and scrumptious. The reason why you see only their brand on the food items because it's the only way they can control the quality.

[@bobbiscrittercave2348]

Do you not have a Wal-Mart Supercenter near you? Republic, Missouri has strawberry milk, goats milk, and jazz and bramley apples.

[@brucewilliams4152]

Great Britain is the capital of apples, we have more varieties of apples than anywhere in the world. The Bramleys are cooking apples, great for the traditional British dish....Apple pie

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

*Coughs* *points at China*

[@alisonscurr4395]

@@RollerbazAndCoasterDad There are 2,500+ varieties of apples in the UK, 5 in China.

[@neilgayleard3842]

Britain is the home of cooking apples. It's the only place in the world that they grow in the wild.

[@Ionabrodie69]

@@RollerbazAndCoasterDad China can’t compete with Britain and England for Soft fruits.. 🙄🇬🇧

[@spanishdncr71]

Shoprite on the East coast states sells quail eggs. Salad cream can be used like Mayo, such as with eggs, or as a salad dressing. M$S is more of a department store rather than a supermarket. They have an amazing food department. Their lunch snacks and their boxed chocolates are so good!!

[@tonys1636]

Mayonaise is made with raw egg, Salad Cream is similar but made with cooked egg, with the addition of a tiny bit of Mustard for a slight tang. Ideal for me who has an intolerence to raw egg. Trying to find a ready made sandwich without mayo is almost impossible as it is often used instead of butter/non dairy spread. The potted Salmon is a sandwich spread along with the chicken paste alongside, we have many of them ranging from Bloater (a fish), shrimp (prawn) to beef or ham. Some just marked as fish paste, the cheap and nasty ones (not found in M&S). A staple of kids packed lunches for school. I've been wearing M&S underwear since I was a toddler, they are about the only clothing brand that is consistent and accurate with their sizing, good quality as well, very efficient online ordering and delivery.

[@pamelawatson2366]

Ah yes, where would we be without M&S knickers and bras? Wouldn't go anywhere else.

[@tonys1636]

@@pamelawatson2366 According to the Ex, the fitting and measuring staff were very good and helpful, I was one of those chaps two paces behind looking bored with the plastic or cheque book in hand. Had to esconce her in the café before heading off to the menswear. Woe betide if gone for more than 15 minutes!

[@pamelawatson2366]

@@tonys1636 Ha ha. I always felt sorry for the chaps left waiting on the plastic chairs outside the ladies fitting rooms. They looked so forlorn.

[@tonys1636]

@@pamelawatson2366 We were thinking about how much is this going to cost and if the overdraft interest rate is going down soon. The Brides vows should be changed to what's mine is mine and what's yours is also mine.

[@spmcd2011]

Actually Tony, the main difference between mayonnaise and salad cream is vinegar. But you are also correct that it does contain mustard also.

[@adrianlloyd3246]

What you tend to find with big stores that have clothing - the women's section will often cover a couple of floors and the men's section will more than likely be stuffed up the corner of one floor which it shares with home wear, the café and probably the returns counter, changing rooms and electrical section !!

[@arsenalmanic]

Those are the 3 I shop at regularly. Although I shop mainly at Sainsburys, just because of location and slightly because it has more my preferential. Although Tesco & Sainsburys very similar. So the main 4 are in no order: Sainsburys, Tesco, M&S, Waitrose. The latter 2 are so called posh and over priced. The former 2 are bigger supermarkets. Have superstores nationwide Sainsburys is much older than Tesco though. Tesco only was introduced 25 ago or so (from what I recall). However Tesco within 10 yrs caught up The 2 more recent ones introduced who are meant to be budget grocery stores / supermarkets are LIDL & ALDI I forgot you also got THE CO-OP supermarket. The name has changed many times through out the years though.

[@valeriedavidson2785]

Tesco has been around a long time. I remember it in the 1970's so it is at least 50 years old, probably more.

[@andrewjones4568]

M&S isn’t really a supermarket as such. They are basically a clothing store that also sells food. They have expanded their food hall in recent years and also opened many M&S Food stores that just sell food. They are known for their high quality goods and until just a few years ago they only used to sell their own brand of foods.

[@johnukey]

I think he said: (about the chilled potatoes) "If they get too cold, they start going black inside".

[@sharonsmith381]

I was a machinists for Mark and Spencer in 1974 and used to take the samples up to their head office at 25 bakers Street in London love M&S Sharon UK 🇬🇧

[@JohnnyF71]

For potted meats, think British paté. Most people spread it on toast or in sandwiches as far as I'm aware. It's quite an old fashioned food and it was very popular during the war when food rationing was in place because it could keep much longer than fresh or refrigerated meat. The meat was usually cooked then tightly packed into jars and covered with fat to preserve it. Most of the people I've seen buying potted meat in the supermarkets are over the age of 70!

[@garyyork1942]

If you grew up in the deep south here in the states you know about potted meat. I was raised on potted meat sandwiches and even now I love it. I keep cans of it along with Vienna sausages and crackers in the glove box of my pickup truck to eat on when I'm out in the woods hunting.

[@stjeandemonts1]

Fruit shapes not being uniform is because produce here is not full of hormones and the US uses pesticides that are banned across the UK and EU. It's the same reason why the US refridgerate eggs but no other countries do. The level of hormones and chemicals in US food is insane, McDonald's in the US even dyes their chips yellow!

[@glastonbury4304]

M&S is one of the premium stores, lots of their own brand, usually superior to anyone else, but very few chemicals on the food , all very natural healthy food..

[@juliechappell1367]

Marks and Sparks is my favourite store. They sell good quality merchandise at reasonable prices. If you didn’t try the chocolate eclairs, you missed out on a delicious treat!

[@Stand663]

M&S is for me one of best shops around. It’s a little expensive but it’s because you get actual quality products.

[@bryancooke1192]

So having worked in a factory making products for all of the major supermarkets . I know m&s use better quality ingredients .. hence the price . Example being the Shepard's pie ... In the more commen supermarkets like Tesco Asda Safeway They used a mince and gravey made of the cheaper cuts with a fat rich gravy and powdered potato mash . Where as m&s used slightly better cuts of beef with a lower fat gravy and and real jersey potatoes for the mash .. the price at the time for them was 1.30 -1.80 for Tesco Asda safeway. Where m&s was priced at 2.20 for the same sized

[@roberthindle5146]

"What the hell is Salad Cream?" Salad Cream to Brits is as Ranch is to Americans. Notionally a salad dressing but in reality can be put on chips, sandwiches and the back of your hand. I think it's just mayo with a bit more mustard and a lot more spirit vinegar.

[@adrianmcgrath1984]

Healthy potatoes, if left warm will sprout quite quickly. I doubt the refrigeration they were getting was too intense, the fridge may not be the place to keep them at home, but ask an old person in Kansas how they kept vegetables in the old days. Most rural houses would have a 'root cellar'. At their most basic, they were little more than holes in the ground with a good fitting lid. Kept cool, and dry underground - in the dark - a lot of vegetables, particularly root vegetables could stay good for months

[@jerry2357]

50 years ago, M&S was primarily known for clothing (both ladies and gents). The food and groceries side of the business really expanded in the 1980s and 1990s.

[@cazyaz523]

As someone has already commented M&S started off as a stall in Leeds market (in Yorkshire). As it grew it formulated its own brand - its labels on clothing and homeware etc was “St Michael”. In 2000 there was a massive re-branding and it dropped the St Michael label and everything was labelled Marks & Spencer. Historically they only sold their own brand. It’s what it was famous for. In 2008/09 they made a strategic decision to start stocking some products from other brands in it’s food and homeware sections. In 2021 they extended that strategic decision to cover clothing. M&S remains a primarily own brand store though. It’s food is at the higher end of the cost scale like Waitrose. It’s own brand clothes more affordable but it does now sell higher end clothing brands such as Jaeger.

[@katydaniels508]

M&S food tastes amazing, and where I’m from only bought for a special occasion 😁

[@benedictnothing]

Same here. Christmas and occasionally payday.

[@richt71]

Most stuff from M&S is good food wise. Not the cheapest though. The Geordie guy said the potatoes were chilled to stop them going black inside. Most plastic bottles are recycled and can be recycled. The potted salmon and beef are sandwich fillings. A bit old school.

[@catherinewilkins2760]

Salad cream is different to mayonnaise, I prefer mayonnaise. M & S used to be primarily clothing, used to be British made. Has changed a lot over the years, now relies on food.

[@2eleven48]

Salad Cream includes vinegar, which gives it a much sharper taste. I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole, but, hey, each to his own.

[@NicholasJH96]

Salad cream is only around due to WW2 Happening when we couldn’t get mayo in the uk. They just decided to keep it after it

[@gdtravel9691]

I love you guys and love watching your videos around the UK - M&S and Waitrose food is a little more expensive than other supermarkets - yes, M&S until about five years (maybe longer) used to ONLY sell their own labelled food, but they started to allow branded food in to their stores, but still a lot less options than the other supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op etc who, like you said also have their own range of food products too - keep the videos coming! - Gary x

[@davebirch1976]

Most UK supermarkets have their own branded items, usually alongside the branded versions, obviously the own brand is cheaper but not always better quality.

[@Lily-Bravo]

Re potted salmon and potted meat are a bit like the French pates which have been preserved in jars. We also call it salmon paste and meat paste, and paste is the same word as pate. Sandwich spread is a British cheaper equivalent to mayonnaise. I find it sharper in taste, and it does have more vinegar than mayonnaise.

[@Believer3_]

You should go to an Aldi. It's super cheap and they have some good stuff in there

[@maryalford5417]

M & S is a very good quality department store. It didn’t originally have so large a grocery store venue. Now that’s a great part of their business. There actually is an online store here in the US. Helpful for those Brits who experience M & S withdrawal. It seems like they also were known for British made goods. That’s no longer the case.

[@lovejetfuel4071]

After living in the UK for 15 years, M&S starts to look very expensive, trust me. And the M&S brand is like super high quality

[@alisoncauser2955]

Brambly apples are for cooking with only they are very sour. They are great for apple crumble. Strawberries are best eaten at room temperature not straight out of the fridge.

[@clairewatts330]

M&S isn't a grocery store, it's a department store. I would have been interested to see you in a Tesco Extra or an Asda or even just a full-size Sainsbury's.

[@helenagreenwood2305]

I think they did visit a Tesco Extra in another video

[@clairewatts330]

@@helenagreenwood2305 There are thee varieties of Tesco stores: Tesco, Tesco Extra, and Tesco Express. They did an an express, which are the corner shop version. The full size Grocery store is Tesco, and the version which includes the full non-grocery range is Extra, which tend to be out of town stores you can only drive to, more like the US stores.

[@helenagreenwood2305]

@@clairewatts330 yes Tesco Express - didn't realize there was a difference between express and extra 👍 I used to work at Sainsbury's and also the Co-op

[@skipper409]

The couple commenting on the potatoes were from the North of England - Geordies from / near Newcastle

[@scrappystocks]

At one time all fruit and vegetables in the large supermarket brands had to have the "perfect look" resulting in waste to farm producers. Some varieties were chosen for their good looks and not necessarily their taste because customers bought initially by appearance. A wobbly mishapen carrot, or an apple with blemishes, doesn't affect its quality or taste. A perfect looking apple has probably been treated with pesticides at some time in its growing life and then waxed to make it shiny. Now there are moves against this to be more organic and accept "non-perfect" looking fruits and vegetables that probably sell at cheaper prices. Those big Bramley apples are for cooking and would be sour to the taste when eaten fresh

[@auldfouter8661]

The gentleman said regarding potatoes " if they get too cold they start going black inside " . Potatoes are chilled in storage to stop them sprouting. However at low temperatures , the potato prepares for frost by turning more starch into sugar , as a kind of anti freeze. This is bad if the potatoes are destined for chips ( UK meaning) or crisps , as the high temperature cooking in fat causes the sugars to go black- that's what the black spots are that you sometimes see in crisps. The lady's accent seemed slightly different to her partner's , but they both had North East of England accents - from Newcastle, Durham or Sunderland ( def not Yorkshire). I can''t really tell Makim ( Sunderland accent ) from Geordie ( Newcastle) or Pitmatic.

[@billmayor8567]

Dairy items are very cheap in Britain 😊 Poor Ethan looked a little anxious in the ladies section 😂😂😂 Every supermarket has its own section of clothing items,diy,shoes etc including pharmacy( Normal size supermarkets)

[@TimeyWimeyLimey]

M&S are known to be an upmarket supermarket. The prices are a bit higher than an average supermarket.

[@pauldurkee4764]

British strawberries good, they are the best. And nobody beats Scottish raspberries for taste either. Everything is branded with the store name because they are very particular about their standards in consumables.

[@Ionabrodie69]

English Strawberries are the best and Scottish raspberries also.. we the Brits have a brilliant selection of soft fruits . Apples pears Berries etc . and yet they only seem to stock foreign apples ( apart from Bramleys and Coxs pippins ) 😊

[@pauldurkee4764]

@@Ionabrodie69 I've seen british grown apples in Tesco, and the varieties were different as well. A lot of apples seem to come from NZ. my grandmother used to have a small orchard, the fruit used to be bumper one year the the tree would have a rest the next it seemed, today people want everything all year round.

[@healingandgrowth-infp4677]

You can do a salad mix ( carrots, lettuce,… etc ) with crotons, boiled ( halved ) eggs and salad cream. Maybe sea salt n ground black pepper too, but not really needed. My childhood fav lunch.

[@ekatep6362]

The "potted meat" is like paté but just cheap spread. I love it, it goes on sandwiches or crackers

[@johnkemp8904]

I remember many years ago when I worked in export for a major UK food manufacturer I was informed by the subsidiary company which manufactured what were generically termed ‘spreadables’ that pastes were the cheapest because they have the lowest percentage of the name ingredient (beef, salmon etc), in the middle came spreads which had rather more content, but the very top of all were potted products which had something like 90% plus content and were thereby more expensive. I am not disputing your post at all and I AM going back to the 1980s but reading that potted products are a ‘cheap paste’ rather surprised me, I must admit.

[@garyyork1942]

If you're raised here in the deep south in the states you know about potted meat. I grew up on potted meat sandwiches.

[@steveroberts728]

M$S is known for its high quality food and clothing. As far as British supermarkets are concerned, it is definitely in the top 10% for quality and it’s own brand products are just as good, if not better, than branded products. Given the budget and availability, I would shop at M&S and Waitrose. Really excellent quality.