- High-end supermarket finished top in the Which? study for third year in a row
Marks and Spencer is the UK’s favourite supermarket – even though shoppers think it is a ‘bit pricey’.
The high-end chain came out top in a Which? survey for a third year in a row with a customer score of 76 per cent.
Shoppers gushed about M&S’s ‘excellent experience’ and described it as a ‘calm’ and ‘pleasant’ place to pick up your groceries.
Its own-label and fresh products, staff availability and helpfulness, store appearance, and overall customer service all bagged five-star ratings.
But despite the company’s £30million investment to lower prices and push its ‘Remarksable’ value range it only got a two-star rating for value for money.
One customer said: ‘When I want something a bit special they never let me down [but] it can be a bit pricey.’
Budget German chain Aldi came in second in the Which? study with a customer score of 73 per cent.
Some 88 per cent of the 436 surveyed would recommend the supermarket for in-store shopping, with it getting a four-star rating for value for money.
But customers were less than impressed by Aldi’s product range and availability as they both got two stars.
One shopper moaned about the long queuing times to pay for their groceries, but did applaud its ‘excellent value’.
But another said: ‘Not sure we would be able to afford a big shop anywhere else… couldn’t do without Aldi.’
Waitrose was placed third in the survey, and Sainsbury’s and Tesco were in joint fourth.
Morrisons finished bottom with it failing to achieve higher than three stars in any of the categories. Asda came joint last with a customer rating of 64 per cent.
One shopper said they struggle ‘to get everything I need’ from the supermarket.
And although famed for its cheap prices, another noted that the cost of goods had shot up ‘ridiculously’.
Iceland finished top in Which?’s separate online supermarkets table with a customer score of 80 per cent as many heaped praise on the ‘helpful delivery staff’ and its easy to navigate website.
Tesco came joint second with Waitrose with a customer score of 78 per cent.
Ocado and Sainsbury’s both got a score of 75 per cent to be placed joint third.
Aldi finished bottom with a lowly customer score of 57 per cent. The chain does not offer home delivery and its ‘special buys’ are also not available to purchase online.
One Aldi customer said: ‘The website has a habit of not doing what it is supposed to.’
Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: ‘M&S pipped Aldi to first place in our annual satisfaction survey this year, showing that – for shoppers who can afford it – quality products and brilliant customer service are still the key to a great in-store experience.
‘No supermarket achieved five stars for value for money, but the fact that Aldi came second shows that price is still a top priority for many shoppers who’ve struggled with spiralling food costs for the last two years.’
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
