Marks & Spencer — Local services in London

I had a very stressful experience. I've been going to this store with my service dog for several years. This was my first time, and I go to the store three or four times a week, and it was brought to me by a security guard. I informed him that I'd been walking my dog for years and no one had ever bothered me (I always carry my dog in my arms). Another security guard was summoned. I finished shopping. I informed him that I was finished and going for a smoke. The manager was summoned and told me to prove that the dog was my service dog. I informed her that I didn't have to do that; the law doesn't require it, and I don't want to be identified as a person with a disability. The manager snatched my shopping cart away, so I only smoked for some of the items. She kept telling me I had to prove it was an service dog, which I informed her that I didn't have that right. The woman insisted I had to, and the three of them walked me to the door. Security was recording the whole thing, so her words are also on the recording. When I pulled out my phone and informed her that I was starting to record and asked the manager to repeat that I had to prove each time that the dog was an assistance dog, she said she wouldn't repeat it because I was recording it. It's good that she didn't claim she hadn't said it—she just said she wouldn't repeat it. I was then informed that I was banned from the store. I reported the matter to headquarters—I won't allow people with disabilities to be treated in such an aggressive and intrusive manner—stressing me and my dog—and also misrepresenting the regulations regarding service dogs. I informed them repeatedly that I didn't want to be identified as a person with disabilities, so my dog wouldn't wear a vest—and there's no law requiring proof of this in any other form than verbally. I informed them that the dog was an assistance dog and I didn't have to do anything further. The manager's behavior—embarrassing, aggressive, and illegal—forced me to behave inappropriately, and as you put it, I was banned from entering. Fortunately, they recorded everything, and I hope headquarters will address this deplorable behavior by the store...

M&S has removed their cosy cafe upstairs and put an eating area in the ground floor which is cold and not somewhere you want to eat unless you had to but it makes sense from a logistics viewpoint as all the food is down there(?!) I bought the new chicken Caesar salad for £5.50 - it’s was dry as *#%#! I asked before I bought it if it has any dressing ( what makes a Caesar salad edible and delicious) and the guy said yes. I was truly disappointed to find there was hardly a drop when I opened the box. If m&s are to survive against all its competitors down the road they need to pls add some sauce to their diy salads. I was forced to stop eating and buy a bottle of dressing but most people wouldn’t do that (adding another £2.40 -£5 to the cost) and SIMPLY will not buy this product ever again. Wake up pls. I like M&S but some things they are just not doing right 😟 incidentally they placed their vegan Caesar salad dressing bottles very close to the eating area on purpose. People are savvy they won’t be tricked by the very sneaky marketing merchandise team. Instead of doing a free demo to promote their Caesar chicken salad dressing (like whole foods would do) they let people buy the salad then they find out it has no sauce - forcing them to buy a bottle of their dressing. They are trying to be clever but people can see through this. Other stores like Leon, wasabi elsewhere give their sauces for FREE. This will annoy a lot of people that M&S are trying to charge £2.40 for the sauce that should have been given with the salad! (Btw the sauce wasn’t any good - Leon aioli sauce far tastier). Also they place the toilets on the second floor no where convenient to the eating area. Logistically that makes no sense! Lifts were slow and one only goes to the first floor. Talk about trying to get you to walk around the whole shop. Most people don’t have the time. It’s again inconvenience for them so they won’t pop in for the food sit in. It might as well be moved back to the...

I frequent the Kensington store and today I had a poor experience with one of the staff at the store (name can be provided on request).

I purchased a carton of eggs, the price tag in the store was £3.25. When I paid for it, I was charged £4.50. Curious, I went back to look again and sure enough it was priced at £3.25. I took a picture this time.

I went over to a staff asking how can this be the case and showed her my receipt. She was not apologetic at all and questioned me loudly on whether I took the right eggs and she rudely grabbed the carton from my bag (!!!!) and inspected it. Then I showed her where the price tag was… she then told me this price tag is for 6 eggs. I said then why did you store it there? She just said it is clear, expecting customers to bend all the way down to read the small print. She then proceeded to remove the price tag.

NO APOLOGIES for M&S mistakes and frankly she was rude towards me as if it is my fault that I was misled by the pricing in the store. I went over to her again asking for her name and confirmed that this is how she resolves the issue, and she said loudly “you want to see my manager? Is that what you want?” And tried to gesture I enter into a room with her to see the manager which I was certainly not going to!

This is not the first time in my experience products are priced wrongly in this particular store. I just cannot accept this any longer and feel compelled to write in.

Pricing mistakes can be easily resolved with a simple apology or refund the customer the difference in prices that have misled the purchase. I have pictures as evidence and I think staff training needs to improve not just in price tagging but CUSTOMER SERVICE in dealing with the dispute. I certainly do not wish to deal with someone like...