Three things to always buy at M&S and two items to avoid
M&S has a collection of tempting items in stores and online for eager shoppers.
But perhaps you don’t know which ones to go for and which to avoid to get your money’s worth. Here’s our verdict.
You might find a lot of things tickle your fancy at M&S, but it doesn’t mean they’re all worth buying.
Before you have a proper look, at least make sure you’ve considered extra delivery costs if you’re looking online.
It’s only free if you spend £60, but you can collect from your local branch at no added cost.
To find your closest M&S, just use the locator tool on its website.
And don’t buy anything just because it’s cheap or gone down on price – if it’s not something you were planning to buy anyway it’s not really a saving.
Remember to always shop around as well before you commit to a purchase – you never know what other deals you might’ve missed.
You can use sites like Trolley.co.uk to compare food prices with other supermarkets or Google Shopping for other items you’d like to research.
Otherwise, let’s look at the items you should buy and avoid.
What to buy
Perfume dupes
If you look closely, you’ll find a collection of designer perfume dupes at M&S for a fraction of the cost.
They’ve been spotted for as much as £90 less than the original branded version.
For example, shoppers caught their eye on the Soft Iris Eau de Toilette which costs just £10 per 100ml.
It’s a dupe of Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel which, in comparison, would set you back £126 on the Chanel website for the same size.
Other £10 M&S examples include the 100ml Midnight Blossom, which is a dupe for the £125 YSL Black Opium, and Velvet Rose which is similar to Chanel No. 5.
Sweet treats
M&S is famous for its range of unique and delicious treats like Percy Pigs, Colin the Caterpillar cakes and extravagant Christmas desserts.
If you’re looking to cater for a special occasion, M&S is definitely the place to go.
But do keep in mind you can find some dupes elsewhere. For example, Aldi sells its own version of Percy Pig – Leo The Lion.
Aldi’s are a lot cheaper at £1.19 per 100g compared to £3, but the taste test is up to you.
However, M&S never misses out on an exciting new seasonal treat, so definitely keep an eye out when it comes to a special time of the year.
Flowers
You can always find the nicest selection of flowers at M&S, and many bouquets come in a lovely little box.
Especially as we near Mother’s Day, you might spot a few different varieties for as low as £4.
It’s worth noting M&S is the only grocery store which offers its flowers consistently in takeaway boxes, complete with handles to carry straight to a friend or loved one.
What to avoid
Furniture
M&S does a selection of furniture which certainly look lovely, but its range comes with a price tag.
For example, a capri garden sofa we found on the website costs £499
In comparison, at Dunelm, you can get a similar Charles Bentley Zanzibar bench for just £159.
Dunelm also has a sale on, which might filter through to its garden stock. So definitely keep an eye out.
The Range is also good for furniture deals (there’s currently a 35% off sale on) so it’s absolutely worth checking the price tags from other stores before you buy furniture from M&S.
Cosmetic and skincare products
Again, it’s all about the price! We found that M&S cosmetic and skincare products were a lot more expensive than high street drug stores.
For example, the cheapest cosmetics bag we could find was the M&S Collection Faux Leather Make-Up Bag, on sale for £5.62.
When we checked Superdrug’s website, we found a makeup pouch for just 99p.
You’ll also find a much wider collection of products from the likes of Superdrug and Boots than you might at M&S, so you’d be better checking there to begin with.
Even a pack of three M&S beauty sponges costs £5, but you can buy three from Boots for £1 each.
Remember you can look up your nearest store on any retailer’s website, and always check their delivery costs before you commit to a purchase online.