Marks & Spencer is the nation’s favourite supermarket despite customers saying its “higher prices” make it a destination for treats rather than a weekly shop, according to an annual survey.
The high street stalwart’s food halls achieved a clear lead of 78% in the Which? customer satisfaction survey, with shoppers awarding it five stars for customer service, store appearance, product range and availability, as well as the quality of its own-label and fresh food.
Its top billing came despite customers giving it just two stars for value for money, with many saying it was a destination for “occasional treats” rather than a full weekly shop.
The lower score for value meant M&S missed out on Which? naming it as a “Recommended Provider”.
Tesco achieved a joint second-highest in-store score of 76% with Aldi, and also ranked joint first for online shopping alongside Waitrose with a score of 81%.
Tesco received four stars for customer service, store appearance, product range and overall quality, and did not score below three stars in any category, including value for money.
However, Tesco also missed out on “Recommended Provider” status because its Clubcard discounts are not available to everyone, Which? said.
Aldi was the only supermarket to receive the “Recommended Provider” label for in-store shopping, achieving the highest rating for value for money – four out of five stars – along with Lidl.
Shoppers suggested they were willing to overlook slightly weaker scores for Aldi’s store appearance, customer service and grocery quality in exchange for consistently low prices.
Both Ocado and Sainsbury’s ranked highly for their online offer, scoring 80% and 79% overall.
At the other end of the rankings, Asda and Morrisons were joint bottom for in-store shopping, with both receiving a customer score of 68%.
Asda, which is losing market share to the discounters, according to latest Worldpanel figures, also ranked last for online shopping with a score of 71%.
Shoppers criticised long queues, poor customer service and product quality at Asda.
Morrisons customers complained about empty shelves and fresh food going off quickly.
Both Asda and Morrisons also scored lower for value for money among loyalty scheme members, suggesting they were not delivering meaningful benefits for shoppers, Which? said.
Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, said: “There’s no doubt that shoppers value M&S for its in-store experience and product quality. However, some people feel its higher prices put it out of reach for a regular weekly shop. Instead, it becomes an occasional treat or a destination for yellow-sticker bargains.
“At a time when households are under intense cost-of-living pressure, Aldi continues to lead on price – focusing on affordability over frills.”
Asda’s chief customer officer Rachel Eyre said: “We were recognised as the cheapest supermarket for a big shop by Which? last year and are progressing in the areas that matter most — better availability, unbeatable value, and a stronger in-store and online experience.
“We’re seeing improvements in our internal customer satisfaction data as a result, and remain focused on being the number one choice again for families.”
An M&S spokesman said: “M&S customers are guaranteed quality and value as well as great customer service, store standards, range and availability.
“Our Remarkable Value range of everyday family favourites – price benchmarked against key competitors – has doubled in size since 2023 and M&S is the fastest growing grocer for families, demonstrating progress in our journey to become a shopping list retailer.”
