Shoppers have crowned M&S the UK’s best in-store supermarket,
according to a new Which? survey, but strong performances from
discounters Aldi and Lidl highlighted the importance of value for
money for customers facing a cost of living crisis.
The consumer champion’s annual satisfaction survey asked over
3,000 members of the public about their in-store shopping
experience at the nation's biggest supermarkets, looking at a
range of factors including store appearance, product range and
value for money.
M&S, the highest-scoring in-store supermarket for 2022 with a
78 per cent customer score, received five stars for store
appearance, customer service and the quality of its own brand and
fresh products. One customer said: ‘I seriously love M&S,
it’s part of my childhood …the food is the best you can get.’
Another added: ‘Just love it. Fantastic products. Great quality.’
However, M&S scored poorly in Which?’s supermarket
sustainability ranking which was published last month.
Last year’s top scorer, Aldi, was only very narrowly pipped to
the post, with a 77 per cent customer score, and was the only
supermarket to get the full five stars for value for money -
arguably the most important measure as living costs continue to
soar. This was summed up by one shopper who told Which?: ‘You get
more food for your money’. Others described it as ‘cheap and
cheerful,’ but it was let down somewhat by long queues. Aldi was
also the only in-store brand to earn a coveted Which? Recommended
Provider endorsement.
Waitrose completed Which?’s top three with a 75 per cent customer
score. Shoppers gave the supermarket full marks for the
appearance of its stores, helpfulness of staff, short queues and
the quality of its fresh produce; however, it suffered the same
fate as M&S when it came to value for money. One customer
said: ‘A nice place to browse. But it is a little more expensive
and sometimes I don’t feel that it’s justified.’
The
traditional big four supermarkets - Tesco (70%), Sainsbury’s
(68%), Asda (67%), and Morrisons (67%) - were all in the bottom
half of the table for their in-store offering.
Meanwhile, Co-op was deemed the worst in-store supermarket,
languishing at the bottom of the ranking for the second year
running with a 61 per cent customer score. Customers told Which?
it was ‘expensive’, ‘always crowded’ and had ‘long queues at
checkout’.
When it came to online supermarkets, Which? found it was Iceland
that impressed customers the most. The frozen food specialist
received a customer score of 76 per cent, getting five stars
availability of delivery slots and how easy its website or app
was to use. Shoppers expressed their gratitude, with one telling
Which? ‘[Iceland was] lifesaving during the lockdowns as it was
the only place with available delivery slots.’ Despite high
praise from customers, Iceland came last in Which?’s
sustainability ranking of the supermarkets last month.
Tesco proved itself a worthy competitor, finishing alongside
Ocado (74%) as joint-second online supermarket in 2022. One
online Tesco shopper told Which?: ‘[The] website is easy to
navigate with a wide choice of food at good-value price points
and delivery is always available.’
Online-only Ocado (74%) was the only supermarket to get the full
five stars for its product range. One customer said its offering
was ‘unique’. Another added: ‘They have a fantastic range of more
unusual items which I like – vegan food, world food, healthy
options, etc – as well as all the basics.’ Ocado was the only
online supermarket to be awarded a Which? Recommended Provider
badge.
Harry Rose, Which? magazine Editor, said:
“Shoppers have chosen M&S as their favourite supermarket for
a great in-store shopping experience and quality products.
“But with the cost of living continuing to rise, many people are
looking for quality at the cheapest possible price, and this is
reflected by a strong showing in our research for some of the
least expensive supermarkets.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
